|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
my rating |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0998815993
| 9780998815992
| 0998815993
| 5.00
| 2
| unknown
| Nov 08, 2023
|
it was amazing
|
Once you get to Pohjola, you won’t wanna leave!
This is the first novel of “The Light-Whisperers of Kalevala” book series SPECIAL BOOK This is a Once you get to Pohjola, you won’t wanna leave! This is the first novel of “The Light-Whisperers of Kalevala” book series SPECIAL BOOK This is a very special book to me, since it’s the first published novel by author Grace E. Robinson, and certainly I was thrilled to read it and even more of having it in my hands, since I ordered the paperback edition. You can find this wonderful book in Amazon in its paperback form, but also you can buy it as e-book on several sites: Kindle, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Everand, Thalia, Smashwords, Angus & Robertson, Vivlio and Palace Marketplace. You can contact her (here on Goodreads or in Facebook as “Grace E. Robinson – StorytellerGirl” and she’ll be delighted to tell you the options and links to buy the book. You will enjoy the reading experience, I can assure you. This novel is an outstanding epic adventure using the Finnish and Sami cultures, that they are wonderful and rich cultures, but not much known outside of Finland, so, this is a great opportunity of having an epic adventure that it doesn’t have anything to envy to popular sagas like Narnia or Lord of the Rings. Another cool thing is that while the book is part of a series, the story in this novel is self-contained having a proper closure, in that way you can read it and later to decide if you wish to continue with the series. The book includes maps of Finland and the magical land of Pohjola, along with an appendix explaining terms of Finnish and Sami cultures, including pronunciation (and I recommend to read the appendix before engaging with the story). AWESOME ADVENTURE In this adventure, you’ll travel not only to the farthest frozen regions of Finland, but also to the magical land of Pohjola, meeting wonderful characters, honorable heroes and ruthless villains. One hundred and thirty of reindeer have dissappeared and the local authorities have no clue, therefore, they call for help of capital police, where Detective Lyylia Niiranen will manage the case, once there contacting American scientist Shaun Abernathy, part of a research post studying the northern lights, and also the owner of the missing herd of reindeer, Ávgos Heikkilä… …but they never imagined that a police investigation will take them to a magical land, full of mythical creatures, good and evil… …where Lyylia’s sister and Ávgos’ cousing will follow their trail, finding themselves in dangerous regions of Pohjola… …but they won’t be exactly totally strangers to Pohjola’s people, since Earth is known there as Kalevala, and they will find out that magic isn’t totally strange to them! Meet wise Queen Kuu, sorceress ruler of the good lands of Pohjola, populated by the noble Menninkäinen and the Gentle Beasts… …opposite to the vicious King Hiisi-Hiisi, regent of Ice-Dark, the evil regions full of hissi and Näkki… …but you will meet a lot of more great characters in thie epic aventure… ...where you will sing and dance along with the lights and... …where the greatest mystery is what happened to the reindeer and why. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 21, 2023
|
Jan 18, 2024
|
Dec 21, 2023
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1338853686
| 9781338853681
| 1338853686
| 4.06
| 5,324
| Jul 19, 2022
| Jul 19, 2022
|
liked it
|
Could be better!
This is the screenplay of the film of the same title, which is the third entry in the saga. TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY THE BOOK I will Could be better! This is the screenplay of the film of the same title, which is the third entry in the saga. TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY THE BOOK I will saying kinda several elements from the movie since after all, this isn’t a novelization of the story but basically the screenplay of the film. I wasn’t sure to buy the book since the movie didn’t impress me much but since it isn’t clear if Fantastic Beasts will continue as film saga and this could be the last entry of it, well, I already had all the previous books of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts, it could be odd to miss the very last book. I really do hope that the saga would go on, but if not, at least I have all the books so far. I had to wait quite a bit to buy it since at least in my country, Costa Rica, the book didn’t arrive until several months after its release, and even so, the Spanish translated edition arrived first, and I had to wait a lot that the English edition would be available here (since I have on English all the previous books). I am grateful that at least this screeplay includes some additional value having several sketches of costumes, scenarios and props of the movie, along with insight comments from key people of the production like David Heyman, David Yates, Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Mads Mikkelsen, etc… ...therefore I am not just reading the dialogues of a movie that I already watched but having interesting information giving some extra context to the story and characters. ELECTED BY AN ANIMAL? I think that something that mainly bothers me about the story was that while there is an election with votes by people, at the end, the preference of an animal would be recognized to appoint the new leader of the whole wizarding world community. It’s illogical that a race that even practice slavery (domestic elves) would respect that an animal would know the kind of leader that he or she would rule over them. I understand that since this second saga of the Wizarding World is about Fantastic Beasts, J.K. Rowling need to include animals on relevants roles in the story, but having one “electing” the leader of all the magical world is indeed absurd. Even more absurd if you think that that animal almost “elected” a character that he’s one of the most popular characters in the whole franchise, but hardly I’d think that he is pure of heart, since he has done questionable things here and there, maybe for the good reasons but still I don’t think that he is pure of heart, but… …I do think that he could be a great world leader, so that helps me to question if a person pure of heart can be the best choice to be a leader, since obviously can’t be a malignant character but the leader of many people will have to make hard choices here and there, so I don’t know if a person of true pure of heart would be able to make those hard choices. In any case, that “electing system” of the wizarding world doesn’t work, at least from my point of view. THE SAGA IS ON FREE FALLING It doesn’t help to the story that Newt Scamander doesn’t have at hand his case, therefore, he only has two fantastic beasts with him (already too exposed in the two previous movies) during the most of the plot. The first movie was really good but it’s clear that it was like a stand-alone experiment without expecting to be expanded into a multiple entries saga, and while the second one wasn’t that good, at least I was entertained a lot and even I understood that J.K. Rowling needed that second movie to make the foundation to be developed in the rest of the second saga, but here, when I was expecting more content, more evolution, the story is quite simple and even absurd, where… …isn’t helping the big loss of Tina Goldstein in the story (I don’t know if there was some agenda problem with the actress but I don’t care, I needed Tina in the movie) for not saying the change of casting in Grindelwald (don’t get me wrong, I like Mads Mikkelsen and he did a good job but I didn’t like the re-cast was only because Warner was afraid that the legal problems at the moment with Johnny Depp would alienate the audience (that at the end resulted in positive light to him) (even more illogical since it seems that Warner still plans to premiere The Flash with Ezra Miller who is still a lot more polemic). However, not matter the recast of someone and the missing of another, still the story isn’t that good and the saga seems to be drowing at the point that there isn’t any clear plans to make a fourth entry, which I found sad and losing the opportunity of watching the wizarding world involved in WWII and the rise of Voldemort, just to mention a couple of cool things to explore… …for not saying that I was hoping that Jacob Kowalski and Queenie Goldstein could be resulting past relatives of some character of the original saga. BUT… …in a positive light I can say that new characters like Lally and having more exposition of Bunty was something that I enjoyed a lot, since certainly J.K. Rowling knows how to create charming characters that helps to balance the lack of a better solid story. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 14, 2022
|
Dec 22, 2022
|
Dec 14, 2022
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0316029181
| 9780316029186
| 0316029181
| 4.13
| 366,281
| Jan 31, 1993
| May 2008
|
really liked it
|
A great collection of short stories!
This book is an anthology with several tales about the character of Geralt of Rivia, who is a member of a magi A great collection of short stories! This book is an anthology with several tales about the character of Geralt of Rivia, who is a member of a magically engineered species known as Witchers, whom specialized in killing monsters in change of rewards as a way of life, but Geralt of one of the very few remaining Witchers around. THE WITCHER The introductory tale about Geralt of Rivia, where he is on the land of Temeria, where he is tasked to deal against a Striga, a mysterious monster who is more than meets the eye. A GRAIN OF TRUTH Geralt gets into a mysterious forest where (obviously) there is a haunted mansion full of dangers. THE LESSER EVIL Geralt arrives to the town of Blaviken, wanting to get some profit out of a monster's skin that he is carrying, but after having negative results with the town's alderman, he meets a powerful wizard whom will complicate his future life, alonh with meeting a fateful assassin. A QUESTION OF PRICE Geralt is out of his element in the middle of a formal royal party in the palace of Cintra, where he will get out with more than he ever imagined and complicating his life in ways that he never thought possible. THE EDGE OF THE WORLD Geralt, along with his bard companion, Dandelion, arrives to Upper Posada looking for a paid job, but instead he will get into a messy situation with an ancient race. THE LAST WISH This is the story who gives title to the anthology, Geralt and Dandelion get messed with a powerful Djinn, but this fateful incident will lead Geralt to meet a mysterious sorceress named Yennefer... ...Geralt's life will never be the same! THE VOICE OF REASON This is a story told in parts along the book, putting Geralt in several different periods of time and situations. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 27, 2019
|
Jan 13, 2020
|
Dec 27, 2019
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 4.40
| 15
| 1991
| Sep 2019
|
it was amazing
|
One of the best Costa Rican novel that I’ve read! – ¡Una de las mejores novelas Costarricenses que he leído!
This review is bilingual. You will fin One of the best Costa Rican novel that I’ve read! – ¡Una de las mejores novelas Costarricenses que he leído! This review is bilingual. You will find first the review in English and after that, you will find the review in Spanish. Esta crítica es bilingüe. Usted encontrará primero la crítica en Inglés y luego de esta, usted encontrará la crítica en Español. REVIEW IN ENGLISH I was fortunate to be able to read this book because one of my best friends gave it to me for Christmas this year, and my friend also knows the author, asking him to sign it with a dedication. And if that were not enough, it is a revised edition of the book, presented in an elegant hardcover and prestige paper. The first thing that I liked about the plot is that it is not the typical story of Costa Rican novels located in a rustic town talking about the tribulations of a low-income family. Don't get me wrong, that is certainly worth telling, but the Costa Rican narrative must be more than that, beyond the traditions or the picaresque comedy, and here you can find an exciting fantasy story where you can explore what books mean for people and how they impact the development of society. Definitely something quite different and refreshing from the usual option in modern Costa Rican literature. A boy named Gabriel, and his young friend Steven, take a trip to the house of Alfredo Howell, Gabriel's grandfather, where the children initially believe it will be a boring weekend, but nothing can be further from that, since the mystery of a lost manuscript will generate an adventure of epic proportions where the very existence of many of the greatest literary works of humanity will be in danger. You will never think again about what a book means in the same way! CRITICA EN ESPAÑOL Tuve la suerte de poder leer este libro gracias a que uno de mis mejores amigos me lo regaló para Navidad este año, y es que además mi amigo conoce al autor, pidiéndole que lo firmara con una dedicación. Y por si fuera poco, es una edición revisada del libro, presentada en una elegante pasta dura y papel prestige. Lo primero que me gustó de la trama es que no es la típica historia de novelas Costarricenses situada en un pueblito rústico hablando de las tribulaciones de una familia de bajos recursos. Que no me malinterpreten, eso ciertamente es meritorio de contar, pero la narrativa Costarricense debe ser más que eso, más allá del costumbrismo o la comedia picaresca, y aquí usted puede encontrar una apasionante historia de fantasía en donde se explorar qué significan los libros para las personas y como impactan en el desarrollo de la sociedad. Definitivamente algo bastante diferente y refrescante de entre las usuales opciones de la literatura moderna Costarricense. Un niño llamado Gabriel, y su joven amigo Steven, realizan un viaje a la casa de Alfredo Howell, el abuelo de Gabriel, donde inicialmente los niños creen que va a ser un fin de semana aburrido, pero nada puede ser más alejado de eso, ya que el misterio de un manuscrito perdido va a generar una aventura de proporciones épicas donde la existencia de muchas de las más grandes obras literarias de la humanidad estará en peligro. ¡Usted nunca volverá a pensar sobre lo que significa un libro de la misma forma! ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 11, 2019
|
Dec 27, 2019
|
Dec 11, 2019
|
Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||||
| 0007246226
| 9780007246229
| B002PFCEBG
| 4.04
| 85,777
| Apr 16, 2007
| Apr 16, 2007
|
it was amazing
|
One of Tolkien's best!
GLAURUNG RULES! I know that the other villains of Middle-Earth like Sauron, Melkor, Smaug, Saruman, the Witch-King, etc.. One of Tolkien's best! GLAURUNG RULES! I know that the other villains of Middle-Earth like Sauron, Melkor, Smaug, Saruman, the Witch-King, etc... are far more popular and certainly more often commented as the favorite villain of Tolkien's fans,... ...BUT... ...in my humble, very personal case, I have to say that the dragon Glaurung won the top position for me in Middle-Earth villains, since he is not just evil, but malicious, since any decent Middle-Earth villain can kill and obliterate villages, entire cities, but the things that the dragon Glaurung does with his magic (yes, it's a dragon who uses magic!)... uff!!! He's wicked, and also, not matter what, he will have the final word, and what things he says! TURIN AND NIENOR I think that this book, instead of being titled just The Children of Húrin, it should be called, The Tragedy of the Children of Húrin, because if you think that Aragorn, Frodo, Bilbo and others had it harsh on their own adventures... ha! pfft! You can (and will) gone mad if you'd have to face what those poor souls have to deal with. It's almost like Tolkien would have a morbid wish to see how much he can throw to them until break them, and the real awfful thing is that they are fictious character under control of the author, so they will suffer once and again, since they are pawns of the imagination of Tolkien. I can say that I hadn't suffer so much in a reading experience since the fifth book of Harry Potter. This Tolkien's book is certainly dark and not for the faint of heart. But certainly one of the Tolkien's book with the better prose and strong development. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Sep 02, 2019
|
Sep 20, 2019
|
Sep 20, 2019
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1465482857
| 9781465482853
| 1465482857
| 4.06
| 1,117
| May 2018
| Feb 19, 2019
|
it was amazing
|
None
|
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Aug 07, 2019
|
Aug 15, 2020
|
Aug 07, 2019
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0544003411
| 9780544003415
| 0544003411
| 4.53
| 688,287
| 1954
| Aug 14, 2012
|
really liked it
|
None
|
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 09, 2015
|
Jan 13, 2016
|
Sep 09, 2018
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0345538374
| 9780345538376
| 0345538374
| 4.61
| 136,013
| 1954
| Sep 25, 2012
|
really liked it
|
None
|
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Nov 13, 2013
|
Jan 13, 2016
|
Jan 26, 2018
|
Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 188896314X
| 4.45
| 37,315
| Jan 01, 1991
| 2004
|
it was amazing
|
None
|
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Feb 14, 2002
|
Oct 17, 2002
|
Jan 25, 2017
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 634158476761
| B01JJULYX8
| 3.53
| 17
| unknown
| unknown
|
really liked it
|
A great 2000 AD experience!
This is the Free Comic Book Day edition of “2000 AD” magazine given free in the event of 2016, featuring seven differen A great 2000 AD experience! This is the Free Comic Book Day edition of “2000 AD” magazine given free in the event of 2016, featuring seven different short stories. The general rating is an average sum of the ratings given to each story contained in this comic book. JUDGE DREDD: UNCIVIL PARTNERSHIP Rating: ***** ( 5 stars ) Writer: Alec Worley Illustrator: Eric Powell Drokk! Geek-Riot! The most popular movie actors, Charlie Zamm and Breck Horsepower, were a romantic couple but now they are separated and just now both will be premiered their own films “Captain Sensitive” and “The Republican” respectively. In the same movie theatre, at the same time… …the perfect formula for trouble. Especially since the raging hordes of fans of each actor are camping outside. Even the hired private security are unable to deal with this uncivil war between wrathful geeks of “Team Breck” V. “Team Sensitive”, in the dawn of insanity, that’s why the Judges sent their best officer… …Judge Dredd! This hilarious and ingenious story, full of crafty parody as only 2000 AD can deliver, it’s a perfect example of what Judge Dredd is! FIENDS OF THE EASTERN FRONT: FODDER Rating: ***** ( 5 stars ) Writer: Hannah Berry Illustrator: Dani Nothing rouses the blood like revenge. It’s 1968, in the Quang Ngai province, in Vietnam. A native woman follows the mysterious voice of somebody talking to her through a walkie talkie, since she wants to know what really happened in her village. She will wish never have known. Brilliant and scary tale with a delicious unexpected twist. THE ORDER – PART ONE Rating: **** ( 4 stars ) Writer: Kek-W Illustrator: John Burns It’s a good tale. I’ll give you that. Anna Kohl, young German woman, member of The Order, that it’s only what stands against The Wargvolk, the Wolf Nation, is looking for the truth about his father’s fate. Anna won’t need to wait much to find her answers. Wonderful tale merging paranormal fantasy and steampunk genres. BAD COMPANY: FIRST CASUALTIES – PART 1 Rating: ** ( 2 stars ) Writer: Peter Milligan Illustrator: R. Dayglo & J. McCarthy It’ll give you nightmares… Too brief accountance of a rag-tag military squadron who fought against aliens. They got too few pages and therefore it’s impossible to get anything coherent out of it. STRONTIUM DOG Rating: **** ( 4 stars ) Writer: John Wagner (co-creator of Strontium Dog) Illustrator: Carlos Ezquerra (co-creator of Strontium Dog) Maybe we just leave it, Johnny. Is not our problem. Classical tale taken from the beginnings of Strontium Dog (created by John Wagner & Carlos Ezquerra (the same ones whom created Judge Dredd)) with Johnny Alpha, the best mutant bounty hunter of the organization “Strontium Dog”, along his normal partner Wulf Sternhammer. This a comic book series set in the same universe of Judge Dredd. However, instead of being in Mega-City One, the stories are usually developed in deep space. They are lured into a trap, in a remote space vessel, that they will need to act quickly to avoid being the new additions of an unique collection. THARG’S TERROR TALES: THE DEATH OF DEATH-MAN Rating: *** ( 3 stars ) Writer: Barry Island Illustrator: Henry Flint Bugger. A fast action-packed adventure featuring “Death-Man”, a street vigilante who wishes to die but Death only mocks of him. RATFINK: THE BIG EMPTY Rating: *** ( 3 stars ) Writer: Matt Smith (No, not that one) Illustrator: Joelle Jones You don’t know. You don’t know what’s out there. This is a quick raw thriller with “Ratfink” (created by John Wagner & Carlos Ezquerra (the same ones whom created Judge Dredd)) showing a deadly menace in the Cursed Earth, in the forbidden wastelands outside of Mega-City One. This comic book series is set in the same universe of Judge Dredd, but 30 years in the past. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
May 21, 2016
|
May 22, 2016
|
May 22, 2016
|
Unknown Binding
| |||||||||||||||
| 0008131368
| 9780008131364
| 0008131368
| 3.42
| 4,047
| Aug 27, 2015
| Aug 27, 2015
|
liked it
|
A relevant reading.
BEFORE THE HOLE IN THE GROUND This book is publication of the first prose work written by JRR Tolkien, before of this, his u A relevant reading. BEFORE THE HOLE IN THE GROUND This book is publication of the first prose work written by JRR Tolkien, before of this, his usual written format was of poems. Even you can find some of that here, but it’s clear that prose is the predominant style. It’s not a finished work, so at the “end”, you will find notes made by Tolkien where he was planning how to end the story. This story isn’t based on his “Middle-Earth” universe. In fact, it’s a re-telling of the character of “Kullervo”, part of the Finnish folkore mythology found on The Kalevala epic poetic works. Tolkien’s wish was to create a mythology for his native England, therefore, he was reading mythology works from other countries like Greece, Rome and Nordic lands, but it seems that the story about the character of Kullervo from the Finnish mythology provoked a huge impact in Tolkien and before of beginning to conceive his own mythology, it was natural to “play” writing a re-telling of mythology events from other cultures. There is a consensus for the experts in Tolkien’s works that this unfinished first attempt of prose writing by Tolkien was pivotal for his later creation of the character of “Túrin Turambar”, protagonist of the book The Children of Húrin set in the Middle-Earth universe. THE IMPACT IS STRONG HERE It’s obvious that in the middle of the several influences for George Lucas for his Star Wars, you can find elements from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but knowing certain aspects of how Tolkien made the re-telling of Kullervo’s story, you will be able to find relevant elements here that most likely George Lucas read at some point and used in own way for his saga in a galaxy, far, far away. WHAT'S YOUR NAME AGAIN?!! If you are Spanish-speaking person, it’s very likely that you may find kinda funny his name… Kullervo, since for me it sounds like “Butt-ervo”, that again, as I mentioned in the Brandon Sanderson’s saga of “Reckoners” about the city of Newcago (a city based on the “old” Chicago), again it’s clear that some linguistic scholar should be consulted when a “new word”, a “new name” is created to check if in some language it sounds funnier that it’s intended. IT’S BAD TO BE KULLERVO Kullervo is a very dark character, his life wasn’t anything nice at all, and even it’s like fate was punishing him for things beyond of his own actions. He won’t catch a single break in his story. Even that until now, The Story of Kullervo was published as a stand-alone work (before was part of Tolkien’s letters), it’s clear that he was pioneering in the kind of character that nowadays are hugely popular: Characters of ambiguous morality, the “hero” of the story but willing to do very bad things to others without any remorse. I can understand why the powerful tragedy found in The Story of Kullervo can be an appealing inspiration for other writers for their own works. However, the story per se is hard to find it appealing itself, at least for me. Since a tale about a character who always is suffering, everything that happens is tragic, and even when you think that finally there will be some due payback, the suffering instead reaches insanely nasty levels, well, I can’t understand the reason of why writing books with such too sickening series of events without any rest for the protagonist (and the reader (in my case)). Is it a strong solid bold story? Oh, yes, without any doubt. Even an unfinished single prose work by Tolkien is better than many totally finished book series by others. It’s just that for me, even an anti-hero (including a villain if it’s presented to be the protagonist of a story) deserves a break, some moments of triumph (true ones). In my very personal point of view, I can’t see the point of writing stories where everything what happens to the protagonist is bad. Additionally, the book contains stuff from The Kalevala, that not only helps to illustrate better The Story of Kullervo but brings a good image about general Finnish mythology. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Sep 04, 2015
|
Sep 07, 2015
|
Sep 04, 2015
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 140123402X
| 9781401234027
| 140123402X
| 4.44
| 53,179
| 1993
| Feb 28, 2012
|
really liked it
|
A reality storm is coming! Look for some safe place!
Creative Team: Writer: Neil Gaiman Illustrators: Mike Allred, Gary Amano, John Watkiss, Mark Buc A reality storm is coming! Look for some safe place! Creative Team: Writer: Neil Gaiman Illustrators: Mike Allred, Gary Amano, John Watkiss, Mark Buckingham, Shea Anton Pensa, Tony Harris, Vince Locke, Steve Leialoha, Dick Giordano, Michael Zulli, Alec Stevens & Bryan Talbot Covers: Dave McKean Letterer: Todd Klein EMPERORS AGAIN, CITIES AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME ALONG WITH… GRAVEdIGGERS, FAIRIES & SHIPS Pictures and word-balloons don’t mean dumb. That first quote isn’t from the pages of the volume World’s End but from the introduction written by none other than Stephen King (that I guess you may have heard that he has written some books here and there). Indeed it’s impressive the list of personalities that they have figured so far in the introductions to each The Sandman TPBs, and having Stephen King here is even more impressive. I mean... WOW!!! Maybe my only humble critique is that when the Master King did a comment about how The Sandman is a comic book series suggested to mature readers and that if the readers wouldn’t understand the stories, they should get back to Spider-Man, X-Men or Fantastic Four. Honestly I didn’t like (one little bit) that comment, for two reasons: One, clearly he only mentioned Marvel titles, what? All DC material is so adult oriented?! Sure, I was amazed how “mature” was the brawl showing none strategy against Darkseid in the first storyach of New 52’s Justice League. Geez! And Two, I wonder if he ever heard of materials such as Spider-Man: Kraven’s Last Hunt, X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills or even a single issue like #267 “A Small Loss” from Fantastic Four? I love DC AND Marvel, AND Indy comic book houses too, so I don’t like when it’s made a direct comment attacking the competition without need. I don’t need to choose. I don’t need to limit myself only choosing certain publishing house, franchise or literary genre. It’s nobody’s secret that many comic books aren’t those great literary masterpieces, but hardly all prose novels have always a depth content. It’s not something about the writing format but about the writers. And in any case, sometimes we aren’t looking for a mature material to make us to mediate and to expand our intellect, sometimes we are in the mood of just want to read about a brainless brawl against a intergalactic tyrant, without looking to expand our understanding of the universo but just to relax a while. That’s the magic and beauty of books, any kind of books, there are enough for any kind of reading that we wish to do, depending of our mood, our situation, our available time, etc... Does everyone have a drink? Good. So... let my auditors feel themselves transported far, far from here to lands far distant... Like some other previous volumes in this run of The Sandman, this TPB is a collection of short stories, even the collection is so shaken (but not stirred) that you will have short stories inside of the short stories, I mean, you are reading a short story and before you know, you’re reading another short story but inside of the current short story. There are some similitudes (about elements, but definitely new stories) from the developed in the sixth volume Fables and Reflections since cities and “emperors” will be pivotal in this totally new selection of tales. You will visit cities even more ambitious about its surreal ambiances, abandoning for good the realms of Earth (or maybe not?) but definitely out of the ordinary. The reality storm is coming... But no, you won’t be involved in the taking of any throne, no, but you will visit a very special inn (even amazing enough not the only one of its kind) where you can be safe from “reality storms” and the price for your beverage and food is as cheap as a story. But that doesn’t mean that they are cheap stories, oh no, imagination have no boundaries and when the tales are “constructed” with “bricks” of dreams, you can be sure that “reality” while may be storming out there, but you will be warm enough inside having the comfortable blankets of fantasy around you. Sir? Who are you? Just one with an… interest... in tales. ... ...I am Prince of Stories. The name of the inn is “The World’s End”. I guess that Simon Pegg (the actor) read this TPB, since there is a movie with the same title and it’s referring too about an inn, maybe not as astonishing as the one in this TPB but definitely not normal either. (By the way, I didn’t like much that movie since I found it too similar the angle to the done in the wonderful Shaun of the Dead also made by Pegg.) An odd detail about the illustration work was there is a character named Cluracan who is a male fairy, and he wears pointed ears on the scenes inside the inn, but when he appears in some stories, while he is a fairy and everybody knows that he is a fairy so there isn’t any point to hide it, the artists assigned to those other section didn’t draw him pointed ears. You can be sure that Morpheus, our dear Death, and other regular characters from the series, they appear here, and while some apparitions are clear in the opoen, even you will have to be quite observant to realize at some moments that you are meeting them. Obviously, since this is The Sandman, dreams are a pivotal element once again, here, in these short stories, where you will meet all kind of dreams, from the general American Dream to others kinda more individual. And maybe, just maybe, a grim glimpse of things to come in the series... Whose tale is next? ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jun 08, 2015
|
Jun 11, 2015
|
Jun 11, 2015
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| B00N4XSJSK
| 4.35
| 17
| Aug 29, 2014
| Feb 19, 2016
|
really liked it
|
Fantastic!
I was contacted by the author and I received a copy of this book in exchange of a honest review. Fuí contactado por el autor y recibí una Fantastic! I was contacted by the author and I received a copy of this book in exchange of a honest review. Fuí contactado por el autor y recibí una copia de este libro a cambio de una crítica honesta. This review is bilingual. You will find first the review in English and after that, you will find the review in Spanish. Esta crítica es bilingüe. Usted encontrará primero la crítica en Inglés y luego de esta, usted encontrará la crítica en Español. REVIEW IN ENGLISH The first two things that I celebrate about this novel are: One, that the story isn’t set in Costa Rica. Two, the story isn’t about anything related with farmers in rural areas or drug cartels or prostitutes or poor people in slums. First, the fact that an author is from certain country isn’t an axiom to force the hand of the writer to have to use his/her own country as the scenario of the book. Some people tend to say that if a writer is Costa Rican and he/she doesn’t use our own country as the place of the narrative, then they are non patriotic. Ah? Why is that? Sure, I love to know that Costa Rica appears in the novel Jurassic Park, but that doesn’t mean that I want that my country has to be the scenario of any story that I’d read. Please! Second, I think that Latin American literature (and even more in films) is saturated of the use of drug cartels, prostitutes and poor people in slums. Do we have that in Latin America? Sure! But even advanced countries have that too and not because of that, they use that in ALL their books or movies. It’s like: “Oh! We have so many bad things in our third-world countries! Look how miserable we are!”. Well, I live in a third-world country and sure we have here drugs, prostitutes and slums, but believe me, my life isn’t miserable and I have never contact with those elements in my life. Third-world countries are so much more than only our bad things. And for some reason, in local Costa Rican literature, it’s like a rule that we have to show the life of our farmers in rural areas, but to add “color” to the formula, they should be illiterate, poor (but not just your regular level of poverty, oh no! They should be incredible poor!), and of course they should be drunks too. Well, it was like that many years ago, and I am sure that some of them still may be like that, but hardly is an accurate portrait of our current people living in rural areas but more like a stereotype that people tend to think about. Commenting all that, happily I can tell that this novel Mago Terrenal (that it could be translated as “Earthly Wizard”) is about a wizard from an age where magic was everywhere, but he ended stuck in our own age where magic isn’t anywhere. Eletorn, the wizard, is trapped in some modern city (without establishing any name of it or even the country), where he is helped by two young adults, Jen and Kevin, to look first for his lost book of spells and later to find a way to return in time to Onira, the magic land of the wizard. So, having to know that there is a novel by a Costa Rican independent author about a topic of fantasy fiction set in non-recognizable scenarios is truly great. But again, you can trust that my rating was totally honest not caring that the writer happened to be from my country. I can tell for sure, but I can guess that some inspirations of Jorge Carvajal, the author, could be The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, but also A Wizard of Earthsea and its sequels. Even, some stories came to mind like the novel Time Traveler’s Wife and the French film Les Visiteurs. Basically since some of the elements and characters in the story reminded me those sources. Again, I don’t know if he got inspiration from all that or not. Only I can say that it wouldn’t be odd if any of you’d read the book, you could came to similar conclusions. But clearly establishing that I only noticed inspirations, not plagiarism, I don’t want that people would get confused in that. The narrative is told in a smart way with some humor without making it a comedy. It’s indeed priceless to read how Eletorn, the wizard describes situations of modern life, like using a computer, being in a hospital, etc... Eletorn isn’t a wizard per se, but a very advanced apprentice of a wizard named Iandros, that in the middle of his “graduation test”, he got trapped in an era where the magic doesn’t exist, therefore he is facing a tragic fate of living in a world where all the studies and knowledge that he invested almost all his life to accomplish, now they are totally useless. Jen, while she is a modern girl of our own era, hardly you can catalogue her as a common girl, since she has “a fire inside” with the same “frenzy of the Orcs from the Deserts of Chaos” and also she happens to “dream” unlike any other in this modern era. Kevin is a gamer who met Eletorn in an adventure game in Internet, but soon he is eager to help the wizard in his quests. There are several other characters but I prefer not commenting about them to avoid some spoiler in the narrative. So, why then a 4-star rating (that still is a really good rate) instead of a full 5-star rating? Well, I think that while the first part of the story is quite engaging while the wizard is trapped in a world without magic and his interactions with people of this strange world to him, later in the narrative, the story expanded a little bit bigger to my taste, getting away from the original premise, making it more complicated that it needed to be. BUT still is a REALLY GOOD STORY that I am totally glad of having read. CRITICA EN ESPAÑOL Las dos primeras cosas que celebro sobre esta novela son: Una, que la historia no se encuentra en Costa Rica. Dos, la historia no se trata de cualquier cosa relacionada con campesinos en zonas rurales o prostitutas o carteles de droga o de gente pobre en barrios marginales. Primero, el hecho de que un autor es de cierto país no es un axioma para forzar la mano del escritor a tener que usar su propio país como el escenario del libro. Algunas personas tienden a decir que si un escritor es Costarricense y si no utiliza nuestro propio país como el lugar de la narración, entonces ellos no son patrióticos. ¿Ah? ¿Por qué es eso? Claro, me encanta saber que Costa Rica aparece en la novela Jurassic Park, pero eso no quiere decir que quiero que mi país tiene que ser el escenario de cualquier historia que lea. ¡Por Favor! Segundo, creo que la literatura latinoamericana (y aún más en las películas) está saturada de la utilización de los carteles de drogas, prostitutas y los pobres en los barrios marginales. ¿Tenemos eso en América Latina? ¡Claro! Pero incluso en países avanzados tiene eso también y no por eso, utilizan eso en TODOS sus libros o películas. Es como: "¡Oh! ¡Tenemos tantas cosas malas en nuestros países tercermundistas! ¡Miren lo miserables que somos!". Bueno, yo vivo en un país del tercer mundo y seguro que tenemos aquí, drogas, prostitutas y barrios marginales, pero créanme, mi vida no es miserable y nunca he tenido contacto con dichos elementos en mi vida. Los países del tercer mundo son mucho más que sólo nuestras cosas malas. Y por alguna razón, en la literatura local de Costa Rica, es como una regla que tenemos que mostrar la vida de nuestros campesinos de zonas rurales, pero para añadir "color" a la fórmula, deben ser analfabetas, pobres (pero no sólo su nivel regular de pobreza, ¡Oh no! ¡Deben ser increíblemente pobres!), y por supuesto que deben ser borrachos también. Bueno, eso era así hace muchos años, y estoy seguro de que algunos de ellos todavía que pueden ser así, pero difícilmente es un retrato exacto de nuestra gente actual que viven en zonas rurales, si no más como un estereotipo que la gente tiende a pensar. Al comentar todo eso, felizmente puedo decir que la novela "Mago Terrenal" es sobre un mago de una era donde la magia estaba en todas partes, pero termina atrapado en nuestra época dónde no hay magia en ninguna parte. Eletorn, el mago, se encuentra atrapado en una ciudad moderna (sin establecer ningún nombre, o incluso el país), donde el mago es ayudado por dos adultos jóvenes, Jen y Kevin, primero para buscar su libro de hechizos perdido y más tarde para encontrar una manera de volver a Onira, la tierra mágica del mago. Por lo tanto, saber que hay una novela de un escritor independiente Costarricense sobre un tema de fantasía ubicada en escenarios no reconocibles es verdaderamente grandioso. Pero pueden estar seguro que mi calificación es totalmente honesta sin importar que el escritor es de mi país. No puedo asegurarlo, pero puedo adivinar que algunas inspiraciones de Jorge Carvajal, el autor, pudieron ser The Lord of the Rings y The Hobbit, además de A Wizard of Earthsea y sus secuelas. Incluso, me vienen a la mente, historias como la novela The Time Traveler’s Wife y la película Francesa Les Visiteurs. Básicamente, ya que algunos de los elementos y personajes de la historia me recordaron esas fuentes. Una vez más, no sé si las usó como inspiración del todo o no. Sólo puedo decir que no sería extraño si alguno de ustedes cuando lean el libro, podrían llegar a conclusiones similares. Pero estableciendo claramente que sólo son inspiraciones, y no un plagio, no quiero que la gente se confunda en eso. La narración está contada de una manera inteligente, con un poco de humor sin llegar a una comedia. Es verdaderamente inapreciable leer cómo Eletorn, el mago, describe situaciones de la vida moderna, como el uso de una computadora, estar en un hospital, etc... Eletorn no es un mago en sí, sino un aprendiz muy avanzado de un mago llamado Iandros, que en medio de su "prueba de graduación", queda atrapado en una época donde no existe la magia, por lo tanto se enfrenta a un trágico destino de vivir en un mundo donde todos los estudios y conocimientos que ha invertido casi toda su vida, ahora son totalmente inútiles. Jen, aunque ella es una muchacha de nuestra era moderna, casi no se puede su catalogada como una chica común, ya que ella tiene "un fuego interior" con el mismo "frenesí de los Orcos de los Desiertos del Caos", y también "sueña" como ninguna otra persona en esta era moderna. Kevin es un jugador de video juegos que Eletorn conoce en un juego de aventuras en Internet, pero pronto está dispuesto a ayudar al mago en sus búsquedas. Hay varios otros personajes, pero prefiero no comentar sobre ellos, para evitar hacer “spoilers” sobre la narrativa. Así que, ¿Por qué entonces una calificación de 4 estrellas (que todavía es una muy buena calificación) en lugar de una calificación completa de cinco estrellas? Bueno, creo que si bien la primera parte de la historia es bastante atractiva mientras el mago está atrapado en un mundo sin magia y sus interacciones con la gente de este extraño mundo para él, más tarde en la narrativa, la historia se expandió un poco más grande para mi gusto, alejándose de la premisa original, por lo que se vuelve más complicada de lo que tenía que ser. PERO aún así es una MUY BUENA HISTORIA que estoy totalmente contento de haber leído. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jan 08, 2015
|
Jan 13, 2015
|
Jan 08, 2015
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| 0756405890
| 4.52
| 989,837
| Mar 27, 2007
| Apr 07, 2009
|
really liked it
|
Outstanding fantasy!
This is the first book in the “Kingkiller Chronicles” trilogy. INTERVIEW WITH THE ARCANIST …I don’t believe you can ever Outstanding fantasy! This is the first book in the “Kingkiller Chronicles” trilogy. INTERVIEW WITH THE ARCANIST …I don’t believe you can ever learn all of anything, let alone a language. This novel, The Name of the Wind, while it’s a kinda recent published book (2007), it has risen quite quick to become one of the most popular books nowadays in the genre of fantasy. The trilogy hasn’t been completed yet (at this moment, January 2017), and readers are still waiting for the third and final novel… …where the main character, Kvothe, tells his lifestory to a chronicler, assuring him that they will need no less than three days to cover all of it. …remember that true stories seldom take the straightest way. This first book covers the first day of storytelling, narrating his childhood where he was member of a travelling troupe, later his trials while living alone in the streets of a town, until getting accepted into a university where he will be able to learn magic. Without trying to offend, but just using a way to make a quick idea of what to expect about this first book… …it’s like Lord of the Rings meets Star Wars meets Harry Potter meets Fullmetal Alchemist meets Oliver Twist… …killer demons who made fire to shine in blue, old wise wizards teaching young eager apprentices, magical schools, magic with the need of equivalency, and hard lives deprived of monetary resources… …in other words… …quite a ride! What are you waiting for? The Four Corners of Civilization is waiting for you! I AM NOT IN HOGWARTS ANYMORE …you needed money or brains to get into the University. The more of one you had, the less of the other you needed. The University (without any specific name, so I guess it’s the only one in this realm) is the only place where you can learn to do magic (that here there is different distinctions about types of magic like “Sympathy”), but it’s not that easy to get into… …oh! And if you’re that lucky to be admitted… …if you commit some offense… …you’ll get a bunch of lashes!!! Not matter that you’re a paying student! Geez! And you thought that Dolores Umbridge was mean? You were like in a Disneyland Park in comparison! I know that they live in some kind of mediaeval age (but in other dimension with their own kind of religions, politics, and stuff) but still I found quite nasty that they are paying for being in that university and having to endure lashes… …and you think that your university’s years were hard?! Pfft! Please! Grow a pair! So you don’t know everything after all? I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I had anything to learn. The magic here aka “Sympathy” works in a very logical way (in the understanding that it’s still something magical) in a kinda similar way than in Fullmetal Alchemist but not quite, since here, if you try to do some “binding magic” connecting two elements, the effectiveness of this feat depends of how compatible and/or similar are those elements in between. Also, very much like some doctrines in Kabbalah and ancient cultures, to know the REAL name of things, it gives you a dominance over those things, but of course, to know those real names is part of the game played here in this University, where it's the only place to accomplish that. A very cool thing is that the University has the most extensive library in that realm with more books that you can read in a lifetime… … … …oops! Sorry! I got lost in the wonderful thought to be in that library! Bummer that good ol’ Kvothe will be kept off limits of this (truly) magical place, in the University, due a mean act, courtesy of your typical douchebag snob that it seems that any educational institution needs to have at least one! (and some schools overwhelm their quota!) You know? I prefer the dang lashes anyday over being off limits of the best library of an entire realm! THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD FRIENDS …he was giving me enough rope to hang myself with. Apparently he didn’t realize that once a noose is tied, it will fit one neck as easily as another. Kvothe is not a bad guy, but certainly he has his temper and pride. So, he will get into some unnecessary troubles and punishments due precisely his temper and pride, since he has a tendency to prove how skilled he is… …which leads to my opinion of the importance of good friends. Oh, Kvothe has some friends in and out of the University alright, but honestly, none of them is really an impacting positive influence on him (Oh, Hermione, where are you where you’re needed the most?!), since I’m sure that if Kvothe could have a person of his confidence, to help him to avoid to fall into foolish problems, Kvothe’s school life could be much better and easier. I know, even Harry Potter didn’t hear all the time to Hermione, but a good friend insist on you, not matter if you’re so dumb of not accepting valuable advice when you really needed. Since being a natural prodigy isn’t a guarantee to be successful in life… …a good friend is a priceless treasure to accomplish that. Kvothe is too brilliant for his own good and lacking of a close friend not afraid of telling him what he needs to hear, which is a dangerous combination. …your wit will defend you more often than a sword. Keep it sharp! A good friend will help you to avoid needing to defend yourself from unnecessary troubles, even more if those troubles are made by yourself. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jan 08, 2017
|
Jan 23, 2017
|
Sep 14, 2014
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 0007488343
| 9780007488346
| 0007488343
| 4.57
| 933,291
| Oct 20, 1955
| Jan 01, 2012
|
really liked it
|
The last stand for the control of Middle-Earth!
I WENT TO MIDDLE-EARTH AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS CRUMMY RING That’s the message in a t-shirt that I The last stand for the control of Middle-Earth! I WENT TO MIDDLE-EARTH AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS CRUMMY RING That’s the message in a t-shirt that I got in a tourism travel (and I still have it!). I thought that it was appropiate to begin my review about the third part and final of Lord of the Rings. All that fuzz about a ring that can turn you invisible? You may think, but that was the least of its properties. Its major use was being able to control of the rest of ring-bearers with it, and if you think about that many of the most powerful beings in the Middle-Earth possessed a ring, well, it seems logical why all that fuzz. Moreover, a factor that not usually is pondered is that The One Ring also helps to extend the lifetime of a being to an absurd expanse, and since Sauron is just a “shadow” of his past self, it’s evident why he needed The One Ring so bad. I commented in my review of the first part, The Fellowship of the Ring, about my theory of the plans of The One Ring. Not Sauron’s. Not Saruman’s. But the One Ring. It was obsessed about the Hobbits, since they were the last bastion of pure goodness in the whole Middle-Earth. Without making any spoilers, I am kinda sad that while it wasn’t due actions of The One Ring, bute vil powers damaged that idyllic of a more simple life. Also, I think that the whole thing was unnecessary to the main story and even over-extending the tale kinda ruining the “final” climax of the war. Back, in The Hobbit, Bilbo’s first act having The One Ring was… …piety. A small noble deed that would define the fate of the whole Middle-Earth. That makes you think about it. Each action has a consequence. Maybe you won’t be able to realize the consequence, but it’s clear that you have to think about your actions, since you never know that something that you may consider irrelevant, even correct, it may lead to consequences with epic importance. ÉOWYN & GALADRIEL, MIDDLE-EARTH GIRL POWER Again, I won’t spoil anything, I only can say that one of my favorite female characters in the saga is Éowyn, along with Galadriel. Their paths are separate, they are different kind of female characters, but definitely, they proved their own importance and vital roles in this story plenty of male characters. Galadriel’s role was centered mainly in the first part (but you'll find her here again), The Fellowship of the Ring, and you can’t doubt that she, along with Elrond (one of my favorite male characters), both are of the most powerful beings in the Middle-Earth, where their existence over there, defined the beginning and the end of the Third Age. Éowyn was introduced on the second part, The Two Towers, but it’s on the third and final part, The Return of the King, where she plays her vital role in an age where men were the ones usually in the battlefields. It’s clear that a predilect theme of J.R.R. Tolkien was to show that while wars are things to avoid if possible, if the war is inescapable, it’s short-sighted and close-minded not considering the worth and courage of the “unlikely” beings (Hobbits, women) and including them into the ranks of the defending army. Since many times the tall and strong men don’t think that people of small height or from the “weaker sex”, can be valuable during a war. But you can testify that in “The War of the Ring”, four Hobbits and a woman, changed the course of it, during epic moments of impossible odds. LEGACY OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS The saga ends here, Return of the King, at least the main story, because certainly you can find a LOT more of tales in the other books by Tolkien set in the Middle-Earth. And it’s indisputable the legacy caused by this story. Since ALL the following novels and book series in the genre of epic fantasy are inspired and/or influenced due the publication of Lord of the Rings, but its impact isn’t limited to this literary genre, since if you know what to look or watching carefully you’ll find plots, elements, concepts, etc… of this story in other novels of different genres, in films, in TV, etc… Once you woud be aware of this story, you keep noticing here and there, the influence and impact of it. Not matter if you like Lord of the Rings or not, you have to thank anyway, since the imagination and creativity in the minds of artists in the whole world, in all kind of art fields, were never the same after the publication of this work. They got better. Thank you, Tolkien. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 25, 2015
|
Jan 13, 2016
|
Jul 31, 2014
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0007488327
| 9780007488322
| 0007488327
| 4.49
| 1,002,229
| Nov 11, 1954
| Jan 01, 2012
|
really liked it
|
The hope for saving Middle-Earth continues!
THE FELLOWSHIP IS BROKEN There is some good in this world, and it's worth fighting for. So much The hope for saving Middle-Earth continues! THE FELLOWSHIP IS BROKEN There is some good in this world, and it's worth fighting for. So much for the fellowship made of representative of the races of good in the Middle-Earth with the task of destroying The One Ring in the hellish fires of Mount Doom, located right inside of Sauron’s domains. Members fell, member got tempted by The One Ring, members got trapped, the journey now has two roads and it’s not certain which way is the right one. Maybe no one is, but they need to take decisions, keep in movement and to trust that they are doing what is right. While they knew each other (in some cases) barely before the start of the mission, they now have a bond, a camaraderie, a friendship that it will be put to test to the maximum. New allies will rise but also the dark forces are getting stronger. And yet, HUGE surprises are ahead of them. Since it seems that in Middle-Earth certain things aren’t definitive. ISENGARD’S AGENDA A king will have his way in his own hall, be it folly or wisdom. Something that I liked while reading the book(s) (since I noticed it since the first one) is that Saruman is a servant of Sauron. Yes, the powerful wizard of Isengard wants The One Ring BUT not for giving to the Dark Lord or Mordor, oh no, no, no, Saruman knows that who gets The One Ring will rule in the Middle-Earth and since he is already one of the most powerful beings in that realm, it’s only logical to get The One Ring and with that key advantage, he will be able not only to challenge the armies of men, dwarves and elves but also the dark forces of Sauron. I have huge respect for the good King Théoden, BUT dang it! How can you have as your personal advisor somebody running with the name of Grima Wormtongue! Geez! It’s like the Green Lantern Corps: “Oh, who would think that SINESTRO will resulted a bad guy.” Geez! In the movies is understood that Saruman “works” for Sauron but in the books, at least in my humble analysis is quite clear that Saruman is a third column in this dangerous game in the Middle-Earth. And anybody who was not only member of The White Council but its leader and having forces trying to get control of the Middle-Earth, it’s never wise to underestimate his potential of causing destruction, suffering and pain. THE BATTLE OF HELM’S DEEP I have spoken words of hope. But only of hope. Hope is not victory. You don’t know the courage of men until they are tested against a challenge without hope. Some war strategists would say that battling a lost battle is pointless and it’s better to flee for fighting another day. But what happen when there isn’t another day? When there is nowhere to run away? When accepting that it’s a lost battle isn’t an option? It’s when you know of what you are made of. SAM RULES! Don't go where I can't follow! It’s obvious that the saga of Lord of the Rings have many heroes, many awesome characters, but many of them have training, skills, education and powers to help them, but… …Samwise Gamgee shows one of the most amazing heroism of all, not matter that you can say that he everything against him. First of all, Sam is a Hobbit, not the most useful species in the Middle-Earth in matters of war, and even between Hobbits, he may not being the “best example” of his kind. Sam wasn’t as old as Frodo, Pippin and Merry, therefore less mature. Sam didn’t share a family bond like Frodo, Pippin and Merry shared. Sam wasn’t even of the same social status in The Shire as Frodo, Pippin and Mery, since they were from respected Hobbit families with lineage, while Sam was the son of Bilbo’s gardener. While Merry and Pippin were traveling with Frodo out of a family thing, for Sam was basically a unpaid job imposed on him. So, when the things got tough (and trust me that things couldn’t get tougher than what they got!!!), Sam could easily flee, throwing to hell that awful job, and getting back to safety, back to The Shire. But no. Not Sam. Sam keeps walking, keeps looking out for his master (Frodo) and keeps to amaze due his honest loyalty, his unconditional friendship and his unbelievable willpower. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 09, 2015
|
Dec 26, 2015
|
Jul 31, 2014
|
Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0007123825
| 9780007123827
| 0007123825
| 4.39
| 2,859,510
| Jul 29, 1954
| 2001
|
really liked it
|
The Journey begins!!!
THE EVOLUTION OF A RING’S STORY Courage is found in unlikely places. What started up as an adventure oriented for child The Journey begins!!! THE EVOLUTION OF A RING’S STORY Courage is found in unlikely places. What started up as an adventure oriented for children turned into an epic fantasy... ...THE epic fantasy book, anything else in the genre after this, born here, any other author writing in this field, began here, and even impacted in many other genres and formats. Certainly, in The Hobbit, there are dangers, there is death, so thinking about it as a children’s tale is a much debated issue, but it’s clear that Tolkien’s intention was to present a light-hearted adventure. Even the smallest person can change the course of the future. However, due some communication’s troubles between Tolkien and the publishing house, making him to think that they weren’t enjoying the proposed sequel to The Hobbit, the story got bigger, larger, darker... ...and redefined the conception of epic fantasy in literarure. Even Tolkien needed to re-write the chapter in The Hobbit involving Bilbo, Gollum and the One Ring, since the story known as The Lord of the Rings became something that even the very Tolkien didn’t foreseen before. So, what began as a small hobbit living in a hole that found a tiny ring in his journey, turned into a visceral war involving the whole Middle-Earth. MY THEORY ABOUT THE RING For nothing is evil in the beginning. I have a theory about the One Ring. And don’t worry, it’s not a spoiler. As I quoted (in this part of the review) Tolkien, may nothing is evil in the beginning, not even Sauron was evil in his own beginning, but... ...there is one thing in the Middle-Earth that it was evil since its own beginning... ...the One Ring! The One Ring was evil in its own beginning. The One Ring was in the hand of Sauron, then it passed to Isildur, a man, but it was soon lost and ended in the hands of Déagol, a hobbit, to fall right away in the possession of Sméagol, another hobbit, having it for so many time that Sméagol lost his own identity turning to be Gollum, scary, nasty, treacherous and dangerous but still a hobbit, then enter Bilbo, yet another hobbit, and finally gets into the picture, Frodo, yes, another hobbit. Do you see the pattern? (Because to me it wasn’t that hard!) Hobbit, hobbit, hobbit, hobbit. It’s said that people (all kind of people: Elves, Dwarves, Men, etc...) are obsessed with the One Ring. But to me, it’s clear that the One Ring is “obsessed” with the Hobbits!!! Sauron may be the Lord of the Rings, but it has been stated that the One Ring has a mind-like on its own. It’s not like a Green Lantern’s Power Ring able to talk and having a computer-like library to access inside, even the feature to fly on its own to search the next suitable user. The One Ring can’t talk, can’t move or fly on its own, but still is a magic ring alright (or “alwrong” since it’s unquestionable wicked (hey! No only Tolkien can invent words!) and it’s clear that its purpose is to bind all people into darkness, into evil. Sauron may have plans for the One Ring, but it’s likely that the One Ring has its own plans, its own designs, not to rebel, not to stand against its master, but to fulfill its basic purpose since it may notice a small flaw in Sauron’s plans. Sauron wants to turn into evil the whole Middle-Earth’s population: Elves are wise and powerful but still they have already fell into darkness in some numbers (no wonder why they’re starting an exodus from the Middle-Earth). Dwarves are greedy and violent, they’re easy targets for darkness. Men? Don’t make me laugh! We are the most susceptible species for darkness of all, nothing to worry about for the One Ring. However, Sauron didn’t even know the existence (for not saying clearly not knowing the location) of the Shire. Therefore, it’s evident that the hobbits aren’t in the plans of Sauron. You can say that it’s because he didn’t know about them or simply because he didn’t consider them worthy to send any troops there. But the One Ring knows. In some way, it knows about the Hobbits. And the One Ring has ONE purpose... One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them. The One Ring is thorough about its purpose. It is obsessed about its one single purpose in the Middle-Earth. It has to bind ALL people into darkness, into evil. Not matter how tactically valuable or how ridiculous irrelevant. The One Ring isn’t in position to question the one single purpose that it was imprinted downright on its metal, its whole body, its entire “soul”. All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. You may think that the One Ring was lost, that it was wandering, but no... ...the One Ring was precisely where it wants to be! It found the Hobbits! Yes, the Hobbits in a quick glance, they aren’t something to be worry about when you’re planning to dominate Middle-Earth. Clearly, it was Sauron’s point of view. You can’t blame him. I don’t think any military leader in his position would consider relevant to invest time and effort with the Shire. BUT the One Ring thinks otherwise. If the other races have to fall into darkness, into evil, then the Hobbits must be as well. The Shire is an oasis of peace, of light, of goodwill, of laughing, of dancing, of enjoying the basic pleasures of a more simple life... ...and the One Ring can’t tolerate that!!! It’s revolted by the very existence of such a good place inhabited by such merry species. Everybody, everywhere and everything must fall into its dark bind, into evil!!! If Hobbits fall into darkness, into evil, then and only then, Sauron’s plans would be truly accomplished and the One Ring’s purpose, fulfilled. RING ANY BELLS? Books ought to have good endings. I am not a rookie with The Lords of the Rings since I watched all the movies, but certainly I knew that eventually I will read the books. While I am aware of what would happen here and in the next books, I still enjoyed plenty enough the reading, since I was able to notice the “little differences” here and there, between the original writing and the modern film adaptations. Some time ago, I read The Hobbit and now I have read the first book, Fellowship of the Ring, but an important thing to have in mind is that hardly it’s a “first” book per se, but the first part of one single book titled: The Lord of the Rings, since I can’t blame other readers if they weren’t satisfied with the development made in this first part. Characters took an “eternity” to begin a journey, to take a decision, to do anything. The few action moments are overly seldom spread and too quick developed, so you don’t get a real sense of being reading something in the epic fantasy genre. Even some scenes aren’t presented in “real time” but they are told after the things happened, stealing almost all thrill from them. Some random characters without any real utility in the story. An overwhelming telling of the vast background history of the Middle-Earth. And “finally”, you won’t get an ending here, this isn’t really a whole book, but the first part of a novel. So, if you can have all that in mind, knowing that you will have to read other two parts to get the whole story, and trusting that you will get ample amounts of actions later, maybe, just maybe, you would be forgiving enough to enjoy the wonderful writing using words in such clever way, along with the majesty of the expansion of such rich literary universe. Keep up, my fellow readers! The journey is just beginning! ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Nov 22, 2015
|
Dec 09, 2015
|
Jul 31, 2014
|
Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0345539125
| 9780345539120
| 0345539125
| 3.54
| 4,124
| 2013
| Oct 29, 2013
|
liked it
|
Plenty enough fun to read.
A GAME OF WORDS While I haven't read yet the book series of A Song of Ice and Fire, I've been watching the TV adaptat Plenty enough fun to read. A GAME OF WORDS While I haven't read yet the book series of A Song of Ice and Fire, I've been watching the TV adaptation on HBO of Game of Thrones. So, I knew that I hadn't the proper knowledge to comment about the novels but since this particular book is merely a reference work about the quotes said by the character of Tyrion Lannister. I thought that it was quite enough of being watching the TV series to be able to read and enjoy this book. And I was right. Of course, I wasn't blind to see the greed behind this publication, since in a book series that it's incomplete yet, it was odd to make a quotations' book when it's evident that it's lacking of whichever quote that the character may to say on the remaining two novels to publish. So, if this book proved to be profitable (and I am pretty sure that it will be), they will publish an "updated" version in some years in the future, so they'll get richer selling twice basically the same book. Since I haven't read the novels yet, I am not sure how popular was Tyrion Lannister between the reader fans before of the airing of the TV adaptation, and even in the beginning of the first season with known names as Sean Bean, Mark Addy and Lena Headey, I think that it was a surprise even for the producers of the TV series that the magistral perfomance of Peter Dinklage would making Tyrion Lannister as the most popular character of the entire series and a testament of that, it's the very publication of this book. While in other sagas like Star Trek and Star Wars, they have quotations' books (I know since I have them), they aren't centered in one single character, the books contained quotes from all the characters in the franchise. So, I guess that it's pretty evident the huge impact that Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister has made in the fans of the TV series. I am not sure how appealing would be this book to the readers fans of the original book series, but I am sure that the fans with only knowledge of the TV adaptation, this book is a very tempting option to get. The book is pretty quick to read. I believe that it took me like half an hour, since the book only has the very quotes, there aren't any further comments or insights about the motivations or background of the character that it's a dissapointment. The book is separated in several themes where each quote is positioned in the logical topic. I won't writing down each quote of the book, please you have no fear of that, however I thought that it can be informative that while I tell you which themes were selected for the book, to write down my favorite quote on each topic. So, the book is separated on the following topics: On Being a Dwarf: All dwarfs may be bastards, yet not all bastards need be dwarfs. (A Game of Thrones) On the Power of Words: My mind is my weapon. My brother has a sword. King Robert has his warhammer, and I have my mind... and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone if is to keep its edge. (A Game of Thrones) On Romance; With whores, the young ones smell much better, but the old ones know more tricks. (A Dance with Dragons) In here, I think that the author needs to work to came up with better quotes, since Tyrion Lannister while a lustful lover, and you find several quotes about sex, he's also a very romantic person and you don't find a really good quote reflecting that side of his complicated personality. On Family Values: A Lannister always paid his debts. (A Game of Thrones) On the Human Condition: Every fool loves to hear that he's important. (A Dance with Dragons) On Music: Never believe anything you hear in a song. (A Storm of Swords) On Food and Drink: I am not fond of eating horse. Particularly my horse. (A Game of Thrones) On Kingship: Kings are falling like leaves this autumn. (A Storm of Swords) On Realpolitik: Some allies are more dangerous than enemies. (A Dance with Dragons) The Art of War: Men fight more fiercely for a king who shares their peril than one who hides behind his mother's skirts. (A Clash of Kings) The Art of Saving your Skin: I'm terrified of my enemies, so I kill them all. (A Clash of Kings) The Art of Lying: The Best lies are seasoned with a bit of truth. (A Dance with Dragons) On Dragons and Other Myths: If you want to conquer the world, you best have dragons. (A Dance with Dragons) On Religion: Somewhere some gods are laughing. (A Dance with Dragons) Well, the book is interesting but it could be much better. Still is a great option for any fan of the TV adaptation. And certainly I hope to read the book series in the future. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Nov 19, 2013
|
Nov 19, 2013
|
Nov 19, 2013
|
Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0007487290
| 9780007487295
| 0007487290
| 4.29
| 4,099,576
| Sep 21, 1937
| Aug 30, 2012
|
really liked it
|
Where there's life there's hope.
I've been thinking a lot of how many stars giving to the book, since there were parts that I loved a lot, but ther Where there's life there's hope. I've been thinking a lot of how many stars giving to the book, since there were parts that I loved a lot, but there were others that I found tedious and even anti-climatic, but in respect to this great writer, J.R.R. Tolkien, I think that the book deserves at least 4-stars rating with which I feel easy since I am not giving it a full rating but also I am not punishing it for things that maybe a future re-reading will solve. In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Anyway, it's amazing how with this line... In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. ... the epic fantasy were never the same... it got better! It's so fantastic to think how Tolkien felt the impulse to write down this line, and from it, a whole epic universe came into life. I loved to read when some book came up from a dream (like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein) or from an unknown impulse, like in these case. I watched at some moment a documentary abour Tolkien's work and I learned how he was looking for a mythology, in the sense like the Nordic one or the Greek one, to call as own on England, and it was the trigger to creat such vast and appealing universe. And even more interesting to choose its point of development, since the core books like this one, The Hobbit and the following trilogy of The Lord of the Rings, are located in an time where the magic is leaving the Middle-Earth and the age of men is becoming the important one. If you sit on the doorstep long enough, I daresay you will think of something. I think that certainly many people could love "more magic" in the main story, there would be others who enjoy the "more downed" tone with more "realistic" elements. In that way, everybody can like this story since there is a good balance of magic and "terrenal" stuff. I learned that in the second edition/fifth printing (if I am not mistaken) was where Tolkien made the corrections in the Fifth Chapter, Riddles in the Dark, to make it fit better with the evolution of the sequel known as The Lord of the Rings. Thief, thief, thief! Baggins! We hates it, we hates it, we hates it forever! Still, it was amazing how Tolkien could develop such impressive "sequel" from the book of The Hobbit with only editing one chapter, but definitely a key one. It's wonderful how the mood of the book is at hand with the maturing of Bilbo Baggins, the main protagonist, since the story started quite innocent and even with such humoristic moments and step by step is turning more and more serious, in the same way as Bilbo is getting more serious about his role in the mission. My Precious, my Precious. The two introductions about characters that I absolutely loved were the Elrond's and Smaug's... About Elrond... He was as noble and fair in face as an elf-lord, as strong, as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves, and as kind as summer. I mean...wow!!! If you are not impressed about a character when he or she is introduced in such way, well, I don't know what else you'd need. About Smaug... My armour is like ten fold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death! Oh yes, right then, anybody without a ring of power on his finger should run like crazy and never NEVER stop to look behind. It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him. Without spoiling anything really crutial, I think that my most favorite part were the moon-letters. I mean, secret messages that you can read only at certain position of the moon in the year... WOW!!! and my favorite moment there, was when is asked to Elrond if the map says something else... Not with this moon. (Or something much like it) I mean, it gives a promise that may that map has some other secrets in there, only to be revealed at the right position of the moon in the year. WOW!!! It's cool when you read or see an scene where certain treasure's location is revealed when the sun's light or moon's light came into a certain room at certain moment of the year, but I think that this "moon-letter" and/or "moon runes" are way WAY MUCH COOLER. Obviously, Gandalf is a great character, but I think that it was "too" great and Tolkien had troubles to think about challenges to put into the travelling group and they could mean a real risk having a powerful wizard in the midst. And you sensed it when they are in peril UNTIL Gandalf appears again. I understand. Gandalf rules! But hey, if you create such powerful character you have to live with him/her, I mean, if you will have troubles to think about adventures involving him/her, well, then, at least, let's present him/her as a passing character like Elrond, but when you have Gandalf in the travelling group, it's even more notorious the conflicts of the author when that character is dissapearing and appearing. In here, about Smaug's fate... (view spoiler)[You have such powerful and intimidating character as Smaug, the last of the dragons, with such fearful introduction and later bam! it is beaten with a dang arrow? Thanks to a very convenient failure in his armour that a hobbit that he doesn't know anything about warfare, he was able to deduce a weak point that many, many, many warfaring races weren't able to deduce? And so, this menace that it's been spoken about along the whole book...bam! It's killed with a single arrow and even the arrow is shot by a totally new character that you didn't know anything about until that moment? Geez! (hide spoiler)] I was expecting more about Thorin Oakenshield. Certainly, the first part of Peter Jackson's film adaptations gave him a lot of credit and respect, presenting him as a powerful leader, where in the book, he doesn't do anything useful. And in fact, I didn't find out why so many dwarves in the story since nobody did something particulary memorable. At some moments, you think that Balin will become something more in the story but no, Bombur is only remembered by his weight (that I found something cruel how he is treated in the story) and even I thought that since Gloin is the father of Gimli, he would do something awesome at some moment but no. So, why so many dwarves in the group if they won't do something useful in the story? I think Gimli, one single dwarf, did more to give a good name to the dwarf race in The Lord of the Rings, than 13 dwarves in the whole The Hobbit. I loved the trolls! Maybe some people didn't get the most humoruous aspect of them. I mean, you are in the Middle-Earth and everybody has names like Bilbo, Thorin, Gandalf, Elrond, etc... but the trolls' names are: Bert, Tom and William!!! I don't know but I found that such amusing, that they had such common and "modern" names in the middle of such "epic fantasied" names. At the end, The Hobbit is a wonderful piece of writing where you find a totally new race in almost each chapter and not only you know the new race but also you get a "glimpse" realizing that behind of each race there is an extensive and rich history that you won't be able to know in its entirely way, adding more mystery to the whole universe created here. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Nov 13, 2013
|
Nov 21, 2013
|
Nov 13, 2013
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0060765453
| 9780060765453
| 0060765453
| 4.28
| 665,014
| 1956
| Nov 01, 2005
|
really liked it
|
None
|
Notes are private!
|
1
|
not set
|
Mar 10, 2006
|
Aug 26, 2013
|
Paperback
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
my rating |
|
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| 5.00
|
it was amazing
|
Jan 18, 2024
|
Dec 21, 2023
|
|||||
|
| 4.06
|
liked it
|
Dec 22, 2022
|
Dec 14, 2022
|
|||||
|
| 4.13
|
really liked it
|
Jan 13, 2020
|
Dec 27, 2019
|
|||||
|
| 4.40
|
it was amazing
|
Dec 27, 2019
|
Dec 11, 2019
|
|||||
|
| 4.04
|
it was amazing
|
Sep 20, 2019
|
Sep 20, 2019
|
|||||
|
| 4.06
|
it was amazing
|
Aug 15, 2020
|
Aug 07, 2019
|
|||||
|
| 4.53
|
really liked it
|
Jan 13, 2016
|
Sep 09, 2018
|
|||||
|
| 4.61
|
really liked it
|
Jan 13, 2016
|
Jan 26, 2018
|
|||||
|
| 4.45
|
it was amazing
|
Oct 17, 2002
|
Jan 25, 2017
|
|||||
|
| 3.53
|
really liked it
|
May 22, 2016
|
May 22, 2016
|
|||||
|
| 3.42
|
liked it
|
Sep 07, 2015
|
Sep 04, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 4.44
|
really liked it
|
Jun 11, 2015
|
Jun 11, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 4.35
|
really liked it
|
Jan 13, 2015
|
Jan 08, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 4.52
|
really liked it
|
Jan 23, 2017
|
Sep 14, 2014
|
|||||
|
| 4.57
|
really liked it
|
Jan 13, 2016
|
Jul 31, 2014
|
|||||
|
| 4.49
|
really liked it
|
Dec 26, 2015
|
Jul 31, 2014
|
|||||
|
| 4.39
|
really liked it
|
Dec 09, 2015
|
Jul 31, 2014
|
|||||
|
| 3.54
|
liked it
|
Nov 19, 2013
|
Nov 19, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.29
|
really liked it
|
Nov 21, 2013
|
Nov 13, 2013
|
|||||
|
| 4.28
|
really liked it
|
Mar 10, 2006
|
Aug 26, 2013
|
Loading...
