Equal parts spiritual devotional, writing stimulator, and artistic journal.
Keenly addressing personal and artistic growth, Poplar uses a blend of her Equal parts spiritual devotional, writing stimulator, and artistic journal.
Keenly addressing personal and artistic growth, Poplar uses a blend of her own poetry, profound reflections, writing prompts, famous author quotes, introspective questions, sermonettes, and even typography. Each of the 31 entries span 2-3 pages, and all carry the author’s warmly resonate voice. And depending on the section, there’s plenty of palatable teaching, encouraging, and challenging to be had.
Note: I would recommend pairing this book with a Bible up front, as the author will frequently ask you to read a specific chapter or story for yourself before continuing with an exercise.
Bible translations used include the NKJV, VOICE, CEV, CEB, AMP, and MSG—the source for most are cited after the included verse.
There were just a couple minor elements that I hope might be addressed in later editions:
*While the requests to read certain Biblical passages makes perfect sense from a studying standpoint, there was one instance in which readers are asked to look up the meaning of a name. And as many Bibles don’t necessarily include this information in the footnotes or glossary, it is likely readers will need to consult an internet search engine in order to proceed with that particular section. (I didn’t have net access at the time, and so would have preferred to simply have the meaning breakdown included on the page for me.)
*The wide range of fonts and text sizes sometimes felt a bit incongruent from one entry to the next.
Whether you are just getting started, feeling stuck, or looking to better connect your creativity with your creator, this book has the potential to be a life-giving resource.
Favorite Quote:
“I examined my past and foresaw my future. I bridled my tongue and befriended wisdom. I embraced my flaws and discovered my beauty."...more
Intricately illustrated and concise in explanations, this primer is a gorgeous and interactive addition to any D&D fan's collection.
The book is narrated by the bard-like figure known as Volothamp Geddarm (or just Volo), who serves as your cavalier guide to becoming a "true Dungeonologist." The tone is pleasantly engaging, laced with old-world fantasy charm and genial fair warnings. He begins logically with the formation of a well-rounded "adventuring party," explaining hero archetypes (fighters, rogues, clerics, wizards) and their variants (barbarians, bards, druids, paladins, rangers, sorcerers, warlocks, etc.) He then breaks down the nine races of characters, building on the range of possible abilities and dispositions. From there he expounds upon equipment, magic and magical items, treasure, maps... and the monsters and villains one is likely to face in this cooperative fantasy construct.
"A group of adventurers is known as a "party," and not just because they like to celebrate their success together in the end. Your party should be as close to you as your family--assuming your family can cast spells, kill monsters, and bring you back from the edge of death." ~Volo
If you enjoyed pop-up books as a child, your matured self is in for a treat! Starting at the table of contents, every other page has some sort of animate feature--from hidden inner folds to sub-booklets to utilitarian origami. Volo's Most Wondrous Map of the Sword Coast is a supreme highlight among many engaging aspects of this work--a full color fold-out with intense detailing, which manages to expand to at least three times the area of a single page. (With each page being 10 x 12 inches, the total surface area is impressive.) From an artistic standpoint, the book is lovely--containing a range of compatible styles--all featuring dynamic scenes and poses rather than simple static figure sketches.
The font choices are sometimes a touch small and/or more challenging to read than some readers may find comfortable. The actual rules of game play are not included, though this seems to be by design. Those whose interests are sufficiently piqued by the worldbuilding elements of this book should find it a much smoother transition into the actual game mechanics if they've first utilized this introduction.
Parental Note: As with anything involving role play gaming, this reviewer recommends children introduced be at least 12 years old (or at the developmental and psychological point of being able to clearly distinguish between reality and fantasy.) This book itself, while containing plenty of colorful graphics, is non-graphic as far as violent or suggestive imagery goes. (Kudos on the refreshing lack of scantily/impractically clad females!) A few of the monsters depicted could be considered morbid or unsettling to young readers, but I refer back to my 12-year-old rule of thumb regarding appropriate audience.
Not an exhaustive guide by any means, but beyond adequate as an introduction to tabletop role play games--suitable for both the curious-but-unversed and for longtime enthusiasts....more
Pace yourself! Reading this primer is a bit like taking a college-level literature class. Or perhaps an entire semester worth of literature classes…
Acknowledging that storytelling is as old as humanity itself, The Literature Book takes on the daunting challenge of giving readers a historical and functional overview of literary works and their progression through the ages. The book starts with 4,600-year-old Sumerian texts and carries all the way up to select contemporary works as recent as 2013—encompassing novels, plays, and poetry. Its presentation style is sometimes dry, but orderly in format and highly informative.
-------- What I Liked:
There was a solid effort made to present a diverse array of works outside of the classical European variety—inclusive of cultural sub-genres such as Sanskrit Epics, Imperial Chinese Poetry, Early Arabic Lit, Slave Narratives, Inianismo, Baihua Lit, The Harlem Renaissance, The Latin American Boom, Caribbean, and Indian English.
Personal Note: Page 93 conveyed an excellent, concise explanation of early Japanese theater forms. This reader didn't previously grasp the difference between Kabuki(theatrical song/dance/mime) and Bunraku(musical puppet theater) until it was so clearly laid out in this book.
The Literature Book claims it “cuts through the literary jargon” and is “packed with witty illustrations.” I don’t know about cutting through, but it does explain literary terms with textbook thoroughness. And although there is certainly an abundance of illustrations to break up the sometimes dense visual field, I wouldn’t personally refer to said imagery as “witty.” The diagrams, visual-aid images, excised quotes, and timelines are simplistic—mono and duo-chromatic. Effectively breaking up dense swaths of text and enhancing to the overall comprehension potential without becoming a distraction. Full-color pictures and artwork appear more sporadically and offer a stronger sense of place and/or ambiance to the subjects they pertain to.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
Chosen works may receive only a sentence of passing mention, or as much as 6 analytical pages (i.e. Moby-Dick). The authors receive anything from cursory reference, to a mini-bio, to a full biography including a picture. How it was decided which authors, genres, and works were worthy of how much recognition remains a point of confusion for this reader. Sci-fi and Fantasy seemed to receive disproportionately minimal attention, and the Romance genre—along with its representative authors—received no address at all.
Unfortunately, a number of prolific and influential authors were all but passed over. I was personally disappointed the book didn't offer a bio for either C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien. Their works seemed mentioned only in passing when the fantasy genre is touched on. Lewis is only referred to once very briefly, and there's no allusion to his sci-fi works at all. Jules Verne receives the most mention of any sci-fi author (page 184), but no bio. And H.G. Wells is allotted only a single sentence—though he could arguably be considered one of the pioneering fathers of science fiction.
Conversely, TWO of the three Bronte sisters (Emily and Charlotte) have full bios with pictures included, though Emily wrote just one novel. That’s not to say I don’t approve of their inclusion and highlighted significance—only to point out the disparity in emphasis. -----
While I wouldn’t call this book an exhaustive authority, it certainly has the potential to be a valuable and semi-encyclopedic tool in the pursuit of a more advanced literary education. Studious readers are likely to come away with both factual knowledge, as well as a fresh list of works they may be interested in experiencing at length.
College-bound Young Adults perusing a major in literature might consider this book a preparatory framework for their degree, and perhaps a leg-up on their future....more
An excellent resource for children who may be interested in getting a better sense for how characters, places, and things fit into the DC universe—cleverly depicted via LEGO’s highly accessible style and age-appropriate adaptations.
This 144 page guide is impressively extensive, without being overwhelming to its target audience. (The Handbook is aimed at ages 4-8, but in this reviewer’s opinion, it should still hold the interest of children up to 10 years.) The content is divided into four sections: Superheroes, Villains, Vehicles, and Locations. The entire Justice League is covered, along with some non-super side characters, and all noteworthy bad guys.
Each character, vehicle, or location receives at least 2 pages (up to 2 2-page spreads, in the case of Superman and Batman) of biographical information and LEGO-based poses/imagery. In addition to a brief look at character origins, the bios list their aliases, abilities/powers, and the equipment they typically carry. LEGO’s illustrative tributes to the spirit of comic books are both pleasing and consistent throughout.
A worthy addition to any library—particularly for young fans of LEGO and DC. Parents may be surprised over how much enjoyment they’ll glean by introducing this guide into their child’s literary diet. ...more
This mashup of tried and true concepts makes for an accessible sci-fi experience, and is likely to appeal to fans of Battlestar Galactica. The plotline is notably similar, featuring a hodgepodge space-caravan of civilian refugees and myopic military personnel fleeing for their lives across vast distances—being pursued by a force committed to their eradication. Now throw in a crazed Artificial Intelligence with a god complex (a la Hal from 2001 A Space Odyssey), the horror elements of a mutating virus that turns people into high-functioning zombies (a la the Reavers from Firefly), a dash of angst-ridden teenage romance conveyed almost exclusively over text-based communication, and you have Illuminae.
The story is set 560 years into a future where starships have the ability to generate wormholes and humans have expanded throughout the galaxy, if not the entire Universe. We open straight into a survivor interview with a computer savvy 17-year-old girl named Kady, the day after her tiny mining colony was attacked by a competing corporation and she was forced to flee—making it out along with her mother and her very recently ex-boyfriend, Ezra. Their three evacuation ships are damaged, undermanned, and closely pursued--facing many months worth of travel in an attempt to reach a “jumpgate”(a la Babylon 5) they all hope will take them back to civilization and a chance at justice. But with the threat of a shipboard contaminant and a malfunctioning A.I. system added to their trials, their odds are steadily dwindling.
What I Liked:
Illuminae deserves the ‘Most Interesting Cover of the Year’ award—hands down. The unusual formatting and texture proves to be reasonable preparation for the book’s actual layout. Despite the daunting size of this eclectic tome, the beak-up of media types and simplicity of the YA-targeted writing makes for a fairly readable venture.
The wide array of literary material used to convey this story is impressive, allowing a sundry dynamic and sometimes frenetic ambiance. Mediums include: diary entries, typography, interview transcripts, instant messenger conversations, briefing notes, emails, casualty lists, personnel photos, classified documents, status reports, surveillance footage summaries, ship maps and diagrams, ASCII art, and disjointed pseudo-poetical A.I. commentary.
On the up side, the visual diversity does wonders to stave off eye and attention fatigue.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
On the down side, the visual diversity sometimes makes for a twitchy flow with jarring transitions.
For this reader, the incredibly modern (i.e. non-futuristic) feeling text speak was grueling to get through. While on the one hand the poor grammar, lack of capitalization/punctuation, and degraded leetspeak makes some degree of sense on the hacker side of authenticity, it also makes for rough reading that—combined with the relative immaturity of the main characters—impeded emotional connectivity. As a result, the dialogue between Ezra and Kady rarely felt natural. (Fortunately, such communications comprise a mercifully small fraction of the book’s total contents.)
Unfortunately, nothing about the second-chance distance romance actually endeared me into caring about what happened to the main characters. Kady (handle name: ByteMe) is staunch enough as a hacker-type character—brimming with scathing sarcasm and emotional constipation. But Ezra came off as dim, crude, and uninteresting. Readers may find more reason to form attachment to his semi-crazy marine friend, Sargent McNulty, than they do toward the intended hero.
Sadly, there are little by way of memorable quotes. And though it’s well-paced, few things outside of the formatting come off as particularly surprising or original. For this reader, the impulse to keep reading was driven by the desire to find out if the evil BeiTech would ever be held accountable for their genocidal act of corporate warfare.
Content Note: While there’s a fair bit of innuendo, there is no actual sex depicted at any point in this book. Coarse language is frequently implied but censored out, for cleverly explained reasons. The degree of horror/graphic violence does seem to be stabbing for shock value, following along the same disquieting lines as Event Horizon.
(i.e. If you’re looking for an experimentally artsy zombie apocalypse in space, you’ve come to the right place.) ...more
A classic piece of speculative science fiction, drawn with a deep theological bent.
"...and it will seem to you the master movement. And the seeming wiA classic piece of speculative science fiction, drawn with a deep theological bent.
"...and it will seem to you the master movement. And the seeming will be true. Let no mouth open to gainsay it. There seems no plan because it is all plan: there seems no center because it is all center."
Lewis strikes a balance between continuation and stand-alone in this, the second book in his space trilogy. Unlike the first book, Out of the Silent Planet, he doesn’t pay tribute to the style of H. G. Wells--and rightly not. Aside from the carry over protagonist (Ransom) and the beefed-up threat of the first book’s antagonist (Weston), there’s actually little about this book that resembles the first. And the explanations offered of past events leading up to this interplanetary voyage are enough to allow for one to begin here, if they so desire. Still, I would recommend reading them in order—if only to help you appreciate what grew out of that first work.
There are so many philosophical layers to the complexity of this book. The nature of good and evil, perceptions of time, perceptions of “self”, innocence, temptation, mythology, tribulation, sin, and free will—to name a few of the concepts so thoroughly wrestled with in this unabashed snake-in-the-garden allegory. While sometimes a bit long-winded, the approach the author chose to take provokes a fascinating perspective.
The scenario Lewis posed here is disconcerting on so many levels. The Perelandra version of Eve has such a naive and alien perspective, it's strangely entertaining to hear Earth men attempt to explain anything to her in a way she would be able to comprehend. How DOES one explain he concepts of death and evil to a creature who has never seen or experienced either of these in any capacity? (Seriously, if you figure that out, let me know—I’m groping my way through parenthood over here.)
To put it bluntly, this book stretched the limits of my brain. And I can’t possibly resent it for that.
"The gods have no commerce here. How then do we know of them? It comes, they told him, a long way round and through many stages. There is an environment of minds as well as of space. The universe is one--a spider's web wherein each mind lives along every line, a vast whispering gallery where ... though no news travels unchanged yet no secret can be rigorously kept."
"Our mythology is based on a solider reality than we dream: but it is also at an almost infinite distance from that base. And when they told him this, Ransom at last understood why mythology was what it was--gleams of celestial strength and beauty falling on a jungle of filth and imbecility."
Lewis’ worldbuilding is superb. Everything about Perelandra (Venus)—its dense cloud-cover being observable but impenetrable during Lewis’ time—is imagined with such a lush and vivid foreignness. Massive floating landmasses that move and writhe along with the oceans, a plethora of familiar-yet-not plant and animal life, and sensory experiences that go wildly beyond the limits of Earth. Those hoping for the awe of being immersed in a new and different planet are unlikely to be disappointed.
One of my favorite aspects, oddly enough, was Lewis’ marvelously creepy depiction of Weston’s possessed state. (It’s never really made clear whether he’s been possessed, or if his previously dead body has essentially been reanimated by a being of pure malevolence.) From the not-quite-right mannerisms to the keen persuasiveness to the sadistic impulse for senselessly maiming and destroying… I was more than unsettled on several occasions. His take on evil in general is gripping. The idea that this devil/demonic force can sound intelligent and utilize intellect as a means to an end, and yet has no interest in intelligence outside of using it as a tool, rings an eerily true feeling note.
Favorite Quotes:
*"All that is made seems planless to the darkened mind, because there are more plans than it looked for. In these seas there are islands where the hairs of the turf are so fine and so closely woven together that unless a man looked long at them he would see neither hairs nor weaving at all, but only the same and the flat. So with the Great Dance. Set your eyes on one movement and it will lead you through all patterns."
*"We have learned of evil, though not as the Evil One wished us to learn. We have learned better than that, and know it more, for it is waking that understands sleep and not sleep that understand waking. There is an ignorance of evil that comes from being young: there is a darker ignorance that comes from doing it, as men by sleeping lose the knowledge of sleep."
*"Am I then seeing only an appearance? Is it not real at all?" "You see only an appearance, small one. You have never seen more than an appearance of anything--not of Arbol, nor of a stone, nor of your own body." ...more
Wait… C.S. Lewis wrote sci-fi?! (And vaguely satirical sci-fi at that.)
Don’t ask me how I managed to reach adulthood without realizing this. I’m stillWait… C.S. Lewis wrote sci-fi?! (And vaguely satirical sci-fi at that.)
Don’t ask me how I managed to reach adulthood without realizing this. I’m still disappointed in myself.
[image]
I loved that Lewis credits H. G. Wells up front as his inspiration for the styling of this book. This isn’t misplaced—it DOES remind me of something I would have expected from one of the founding fathers of science fiction. But while Wells is typically more plot-driven, Lewis strikes something closer to a balance between characterization and overarching plot.
Ransom begins as something of a naive intellectual. Nice enough, in a bland sort of way. While out on a cross-country hike, he’s unwillingly drawn into the schemes and ambitions of two men whose greed, self-importance, and technology all vastly exceed Ransom’s more innocent imagination. When he ignores his own instincts and better judgement, he finds himself kidnapped and transported to a very alien world. There, he eludes his captors and takes up with a particular segment of the planet’s natives.
Lewis’ imagining of Mars and its inhabitants is both fantastical and allegorical. The three peacefully co-existing sentient species form a complimentary and symbiotic relationship, which continually perplexes the humans’ (arguably just as alien) point of reference. Even Ransom can’t seem to grasp how three such radically different and variably gifted types of beings don’t have any sort of ranking or authority structure between them.
“The love of knowledge is a kind of madness.”
Lewis’ interwoven commentary on imperialism is somewhat blatant, but approached from an especially thought-provoking angle. It’s almost amusing how Ransom’s kidnappers accost the Malacandrians with cringeworthy degrees of condescension. But their narrow-minded assumption of superiority doesn’t change, even when presented with evidence that the aliens are (in numerous social and technological ways) far and beyond human advancements.
The sci aspect is on the soft side, but for what it’s intended to be, it’s sufficient. The point isn’t to present the probable, but to provoke a mythos. This reader came away intrigued enough to happily pick up the next in the seires.
Favorite Quotes:
• “We do not truly see light, we only see slower things lit by it, so that for us light is on the edge-the last thing we know before things become too swift for us.”
• “A pleasure is full grown only when it is remembered. You are speaking, Hmán, as if pleasure were one thing and the memory another. It is all one thing.”
• “A sense of great masses moving at visionary speeds, of giants dancing, of eternal sorrows consoled, of he knew not what and yet he had always known, awoke in him with the very first bass of the deep-mouthed dirge, and bowed down his spirit as if the gate of heaven had opened before him.” ...more
One needn’t be a gamer to appreciate the fast-paced, adventurous romp presented in this near-future light sci-fi story. However, those who are familiar with concepts like virtual sandbox worlds and light role play are likely to take particular enjoyment in the sense of authenticity this book has to offer.
Phoenix “Nixy” Bauer is the kind of competent, ambitious, takes-no-crap heroine this reader loves to see. With the advantage of parents who happen to be developers for the world’s biggest virtual reality game, she fills a specialized niche—tracking down and extracting the consciousnesses of minors whose parents are fed up with their children’s absence from reality. She has few friends and makes no apologies for her entrepreneurial ways. (Hey, a girl has to pay for college somehow.)
Nixy has her flaws as well. Her inclination toward snap, instinctual judgment leads to misjudgment—not only of situations but of people. And her hard-earned character growth was one of the more gratifying contributors to the story arc.
Durango’s writing style is descriptive, concise, and caters well to the many high-action scenes. The conflict is believable and there is an element of intrigue that steadily unfolds—culminating in a twist that I honestly didn’t see coming. Readers can also look forward to a satisfying and organically developed romance (though it’s not clear whether its Nixy’s first experience with this sort of thing.)
The dialogue is punchy and natural in its handling, if not particularly quotable outside of Nixy’s keen sarcasm. The story is told entirely from her first-person perspective, and using the least annoying present-tense I’ve encountered in a long time. I dare say the immediacy feels especially appropriate for the vast majority of the time she spends in the virtual realm.
Note: In this reader’s mind, the author earns bonus EXP (i.e. experience points) for the spare-yet-explained gamer slang, and the creative cussing substitutions. The content (not to mention the limited, uncomplicated tech concepts) are such that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to most ages and sensitivity levels.
All in all The Leveller is a quick and truly fun read—high-ish stakes, yet not as heavy in the doom-and-gloom department as much of the more recent YA with a speculative bent. Therein lays both its advantage and disadvantage. While the entertainment value is high, I do wish the emotional intensity could have been pushed a bit deeper and the ethical implications of the MEEP explored with more profundity.
The ending feels complete but boarders on abrupt, leaving a number of unanswered questions that may or may not compel a sequel. (Not that I wouldn’t be pleased to see a sequel come out of this, mind you…) ...more
As YA fairytale retellings go, this one is a thoughtfully crafted fantasy smorgasbord.
Redwine’s alternate version of Snow White isn’t some waifish, naive songbird—sleeping off her questionable life choices while waiting on a rescue.
[image] (Sorry, Disney fans. Please don’t troll me.)
Here instead we have a cunning rebel sorceress for a princess, who’s been secretly training for a decade to overthrow her murderous, throne-stealing aunt. Did I mention she’s also a kick-butt falconer who excels at parkour? Oh, and the handsome prince is a freshly orphaned dragon shifter, who is trying desperately to save the kingdom he doesn’t feel worthy of leading.
That’s right… the prince/huntsman is also a dragon. You’re welcome.
[image]
The Shadow Queen is written in third-person past-tense, from multiple POVs (primarily Lorelei and Kol’s, but with crucial perspective snippets from queen Irina.) The pacing moves along at a rapid clip, complemented by snappy dialogue and well-rounded characterization. Redwine’s prose itself is strong both in conveyance of emotion and the sound handling of frequent action scenes.
Above all, this tale carries the persisting theme of doing what’s right--even when it costs you more than you want to pay.
The brother/sister dynamic between Lorelai and Leo was spot-on endearing. Fierce loyalty, with an authenticating touch of mutual annoyance. ------ Lorelai smirked at Leo, who raised a brow and then glared up at the sky. "The two of you are conspiring against me again, aren't you?"
"She just wants to share her lunch with you."
Leo blanched. "Last time she shared, I got a face full of rabbit guts from above. Tell your bird to keep her victims to herself.” ------
The worldbuilding in this stand-alone is fairly extensive, with an array of adjoining kingdoms (complete with map!) that are likely to receive individual play time in future books within this series. Much of the names and terminology carry Slavic-sounding underpinnings, the extent of which this reviewer isn’t qualified to analyze. All I can say is that the usage was vaguely guttural, consistent without being overwhelming, and overall appealing in the medieval-fantastical atmosphere it conjured.
This reader would have been interested to see a little more detail on whether lifespans vary between differing peoples, and whether Human/Eldr pairings were at all unprecedented in this world’s history. But perhaps more intricate matters of biologic compatibility will be addressed in future installments.
If you’re a fan of retellings that manage to turn a classic on its head in all the right ways, this book may be right up your alley.
Favorite Quote: “You don't go into battle because you're sure of victory. You go into battle because it's the right thing to do.” ...more
4 1/2 Stars (1/2 star down from book #1 in the series, but still worth rounding up.)
A year after the Lord Ruler’s defeat, the Final Empire is a splint 4 1/2 Stars (1/2 star down from book #1 in the series, but still worth rounding up.)
A year after the Lord Ruler’s defeat, the Final Empire is a splintered mess of battling factions—its former capitol under the tenuous control of now-King Elend and the remnants of Kelsier’s crew. They all wanted to overthrow a tyrannical god, but now in the aftermath, they are woefully ill-equipped to rebuild both a government and an economy while defending the city they sacrificed so much for. This becomes abundantly clear when three armies converge on Luthadel. And in the middle of it all, the Mists are turning deadly.
This epic continuation once again centers on Vin, the young street urchin turned warrior, and her scholarly would-be-reformist counterpart, Elend. All of the old crew are still in the thick of things, despite their initial goals having been accomplished. The character growth is ever-present, and the interactions between those we came to know in the first book continue to be a satisfying source of insight, humor, and depth. The intricacies of Allomancy are expanded from the foundation readers were given in the first book, and the fight-scene choreography is again one of the more masterful highlights.
Another enduring highlight is our heroine, Vin. She's still the Vin we knew from book #1, she’s just in the midst of deciding how to become MORE herself.
"I'm not a good person or a bad person. I'm just here to kill things." –Vin
I <3 Vin. ^_^
Compared to the first book, the pacing sometimes seems to falter. The politicking becomes heavy toward the middle, which may cause a bit of a bogging effect for some readers—particularly those eager to discover what exactly is going on with this Well-of-Ascension business. While that mystery is eventually uncovered, the author makes you wait for it. (Up until then, this reader was growing impatient with all of the pre-chapter reiterations of the thousand-year-old writings from the first book. They DID have a purpose, it was just difficult to see until the very end.)
Both Elend and Vin’s internal conflicts hold a tightly-woven parallel to the more obvious external conflict of their besieged city. The relationship is complex and refreshing, while also stunted in ways that the characters are gradually forced to address. Both go through a tremendous amount of personal growth—which begs the question of if they are growing together or apart. Sanderson handles this romantic element with a skill and subtlety I’ve rarely seen in fantasy, while not letting it take over the drive of the plot itself.
I won’t lie... this was just as dark as the last one, and the body count was sometimes dismal. (i.e. Try not to get too attached! Not that I need to tell you that if you’ve made it to book #2…) But Sanderson continues to strike an impressive balance--conveying overwhelming horrors without slathering in the kinds of graphic details that would keep this reader from recommending the series to a teen audience. In fact, it’s the kind of deep-thinking, stereotype-challenging, fleshed-out piece of fiction I’m convinced would enrich the thought life of many a fantasy-loving teen bent on escapism. (Mindless/gratuitous entertainment, it is not.)
To whom it may concern… there IS a bit of a cliffhanger to the ending. But while it doesn't stand alone quite as well as the first book, it’s no less well envisioned.
I don’t know where you’re going with this, Mr. Sanderson… but I think I trust you.
Favorite Quotes:
* "No teenage girl is stable. Some are just better at hiding it than others."
* "At first glance, the key and the lock it fits may seem very different," Sazed said. "Different in shape, different in function, different in design. The man who looks at them without knowledge of their true nature might think them opposites, for one is meant to open while the other is meant to keep closed. Yet, upon closer examination, he might see that without one, the other becomes useless. The wise man then sees that both lock and key were created for the same purpose." ...more
This artwork collection was a terrific idea--allowing immediate contrast to animated styles from renowned artists across numerous mediums. 3 1/2 Stars
This artwork collection was a terrific idea--allowing immediate contrast to animated styles from renowned artists across numerous mediums.
Some examples are anatomically correct, and some are not--fair warning to those considering this as a gift for under-aged artists. (Although most needn't fear, the poses are exclusively that of artistic nudity with no intention of sexual context.)
Some of the depictions of breasts were annoying to this reader. (I'll openly admit to some bias there in my personal judgement of bustlines.) I know this is a wide range of animation techniques we're looking at, but in my mind, braless boobs are -always- subject to the laws of physics. >.>
I would have loved for there to be a bit of commentary from the individual artists--even if it were minor notations or snippets of their thoughts. But alas, it's almost entirely a book of properly credited imagery. Sort of an animator's dream coffee-table book. I suppose one can always look up their favored artists if they'd like to learn more about them and their artistic process. ...more
“Progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If “Progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man.” --C.S. Lewis
I'm not sure why it took me so long to get to this one. Intimidation, I suppose. A mind like Lewis' is a rarity in any generation, but his now classical status amplifies the weight of his legend. As much as I've loved his fiction, I wasn't certain I wanted to venture outside Narnia with him—least I start getting in over my head with the abstracts of reality. However, Lewis' style, while intellectual, projects an impassioned friendliness that makes me imagine him as a kindly British uncle I'm just now getting the chance to know.
This book demonstrates time and again that Clive Staples Lewis is both an advocate of allegories and a master of metaphors. With amiable self-depreciation and understated brilliance, he begins at a simplistic starting point of base Theism and builds in layers until he comes to explain and define Christianity in depth. At the same time he walks readers through his own spiritual journey.
This book is a collection of theological essays—originally written for radio recitation. The individual-yet-interconnected talks are as follows: Right And Wrong As A Clue To The Meaning Of The Universe, What Christians Believe, Christian Behaviour, & Beyond Personality: Or First Steps In The Docterine Of The Trinity. In the immediate post-WW2 period in England, C.S. Lewis was given a unique opportunity to reach an audience—and culture—made more spiritually open by wartime strains. He took the responsibility seriously, whilst somehow managing not to take himself too seriously.
"I am not, in my natural state, nearly so much of a person as I like to think."
One of my favorite elements to this collection is Lewis' consistency in shirking the “wasteful” and needless divisions between church denominations. Indeed, he deliberately left no wiggle room for a single sect to claim his support of their particular non-doctrinal legalisms. While he does offer a range of thoughts and suppositions that he himself holds regarding why certain things are as they are, or work they way they do within Christian spirituality, he is quick to point out when he is making an educated guess rather than pulling direct from scripture. He also repeatedly invites readers to throw out his examples and analogies if they don't find them useful to their own particular comprehension. But at the same time, he doesn't shy away from specifying what scripture -does- clearly state on certain topics—regardless of how culturally unpopular that stance may be.
There's also a very intentional and invaluable theme of withholding judgment of others.
"What can you ever really know of other people's souls--of their temptations, their opportunities, their struggles? One soul in the whole of creation you do know: and it is the only one whose fate is placed in your hands. If there is a God, you are, in a sense, alone with Him. You cannot put Him off with speculations about your next door neighbours or memories of what you have read in books."
While I found it a bit dry in places toward the end—perhaps simply because he was answering questions that I didn't personally have—the overall flow is upbeat and brisk. For those interested in Christian apologetics, or simply in relating better to the kind of man C.S. Lewis was, I highly recommend this book. ...more
TAKING FLIGHT is both potent and potentially worldview-expanding. Whether you’re interested in ballet or not, this YA memoir is a stirring must-read.
Let me start out by saying that this reader, personally, has no particular interest in dancing of any kind. But when I came across a news article several years ago detailing some of Michaela DePrince’s life, I was immediately drawn in. Her background and force of personality were uniquely captivating, and her physical ability was ethereal. I had to know more about her. This memoir provided exactly the resource I was hoping for to that end.
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Micheala DePrince’s life story begins in a war-torn Sierra Leone—a brilliant, headstrong child born to doting parents who are in the severe cultural minority in regard to their value for the female gender. Tragically losing both of her parents proves to be only the beginning of her hardships. Micheala’s spotted skin pigmentation marks her as a “devil child” and she suffers tremendous abuses at the hands of cruel and superstitious caretakers—beginning with her own uncle and continuing on as she becomes the least-favorite child at the orphanage she is sold to. She somehow survives horrific war violence, trauma, neglect, starvation, disease, abuse, and the brutal misogyny of Sharia Law—before being adopted by a big-hearted American couple at the age of 4. And a chance encounter with a magazine cover (featuring a prima ballerina) becomes an unlikely focalpoint that hones her new life.
Michela DePrince’s mere survival defies all probability. The fact that she has also excelled in drive and discipline to the point where she is currently a renowned classical ballerina with the Dutch National Ballet is beyond inspiring—bordering on the miraculous.
DePrince’s writing is strong, straightforward, and devoid of frills—effective and sometimes blunt in conveyance. She lays out her story like dance steps. Precise and intentional, acknowledging pain without faltering or dwelling on it any longer than necessary. The first 70 pages are dedicated to sharing her pre-adoption childhood, and while the content is often difficult to read, it makes her current triumph all the more sweet. Her challenges don’t end simply because she’s given 1st-world opportunities. Instead they change form—appearing in her initial struggles with adapting to her adoptive country, in the heartbreak of losing a beloved sibling, in the effects of residual PTSD, in her own self-consciousness over her skin condition, and eventually in confronting the many faces and forms of racism in everyday life as well as the realm of professional ballet.
I’ve noted some reviewers take issue with the credibility of DePrince’s memories from the age of 3-4 while she was still in Sierra Leone. But considering she could read and write by age 3 and spoke five languages (thanks to both her biological parents’ attentiveness and the nature of their merchant livelihood), the degree of trauma she endured, and her exceedingly advanced talent and aptitude in spite of all odds, this reader can’t see any reason to find fault with her recollections. If anyone is a clear exception to the norm, it is this astounding young woman.
Highly Recommended For: Anyone and everyone. Don’t wait to get a hold of this book. Come and dance a mile in this girl’s pointe shoes.
DePrince’s story doesn’t merely fly, it soars. ...more
"Of course, for whatever is amiss in these pages (and there will be much), the blame is mine. But permit me to be grateful if anything in them is tru "Of course, for whatever is amiss in these pages (and there will be much), the blame is mine. But permit me to be grateful if anything in them is true.”
I’m not sure how to even begin to review this book; the amount of information is so dense and profound. I suppose it’s worth noting that it’s a philosophical examination of morality set from a decidedly Christian standpoint. To that end, I would hold it as a valuable primer for those already biblically inclined, if not everyone who may be interested in the concept of a universally applicable “Natural Law” and the pitfalls of relativism.
"To penetrate the unknown, the mind must begin with what is known already. George Orwell wrote that "We have now sunk to a depth at which re-statement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men." This book is an attempt at re-statement."
Budziszewski utilizes concise, comprehensible word choices and a reasoning tone that is vaguely reminiscent of C.S. Lewis (though a touch more insistent and less warm at times—but deeply sincere and remarkably unpretentious.) Much like with Lewis, I found myself highlighting eloquent quotes and deftly worded complexities on nearly every page—sometimes multiple times in a page. There were a number of references to the Stoics and Greek philosophy—which just happened to coincide with my reading of Marcus Arius’ Meditations—and did a solid job of explaining the origins of the Natural Law concept. His explanations for “deep conscience” were similarly compelling.
"If anthropological data suggests something short of the ideal, that is not because nothing is universal, but because two universals are in conflict: universal moral knowledge and universal desire to evade it. The first one we owe to our creation. The second we owe to our fall."
At one point the book employs a dialogue-based range of responses to common arguments against Natural Law. The segment that most struck me personally involved confronting the wanton tinkering with genetics and the “because we can” god-complex involved in altering the base code of humanity:
“… You say you want to change the human design. But in that case there must be two groups: Those who cause the change, and those who result from it. And the former hold all the cards."
The future men will thank us for it.
"If you have changed them, will they be men?"
While I wouldn’t call this an easy or quick read, the amount of thought it provokes is well worth the investment. It may even provide cause (and guidance) for self-evaluation. My primary complaint would be the organization of some of the material. Topics sometimes felt a bit scattered throughout, and a few fixated on too long. But these minor grievances very well could have been adjusted in the newer edition.
Favorite Quotes:
(As you can see, I had trouble narrowing them down…)
*"Or perhaps the syndrome we are witnessing is preemptive capitulation: If we reduce our conscience to rubble before the bad men get here, they will have nothing to destroy."
*"When, despite considerable intelligence, a thinker cannot think straight, it becomes very likely that he cannot face his thoughts."
*"Yet our common moral knowledge is as real as arithmetic, and probably just as plain. Paradoxically, maddeningly, we appeal to it even to justify wrongdoing; rationalization is the homage paid by sin to guilty knowledge."
*"The goods of fidelity, for example, are plain and concrete to the man who has not strayed, but they are faint, like mathematical abstractions, to the one who is addicted to other men's wives.”
*"Even a liar's speech expresses something true; it may not tell us the state of the world, but it tells us the state of his heart."
*"Christian faith undercuts the urge to fix everything on our own, through conviction of the final helplessness of man and confidence in the providence of God--through certainty that only God can set everything to rights, and faith that in the end, He will. Man can only ameliorate, not cure."
*"The problem was not that they failed to find these principles written upon their hearts, but that they could not bring themselves to attend closely to the inscription."
*"If all meaning were relative, then the meanings of the terms in the proposition "All meaning is relative" would be relative. Therefore the proposition "All meaning is relative" destroys itself. It is nothing but an evasion of reality. That seems a high price to pay, even for the privilege of killing people."
*“Morality is not about whether the human race survives, but about what kind of survival it gets. We marry; guppies don't. We don't eat our young; they do. Yet neither species is in danger of extinction."
*"There is nothing wrong with the basic programming of conscience; the problem is in the interface, the human will."
*"Because I refuse to give up my real transgressions, I invest in other things with inflated significance and give up those things instead. Perhaps I have pressured three girlfriends into abortion, but I oppose war and capital punishment, I don't wear fur, and I beat my chest with shame whenever I slip and eat red meat. Easier to face invented guilt than the thing itself.”
*"This is the most disturbing rationalization of all, because it embraces the wrong with eyes open. The temptation is ancient: "Let us do evil that good may result."
*"We were touched by abomination, and we flinched. But nothing happened. We were touched again. Again nothing happened. By the five-hundredth touch, we stopped flinching. But something did happen. We became the sort of people who endure the abominable touch.
*"One would think that the world were in thrall to cold deliberation, and our only hope were to get back in touch with our feelings. This is like trying to revive a drunk with vodka. We are not out of touch with our feelings, but infatuated by them.”
*"But how much easier is it to forget the prisoner, give the drunk a drink, send the girl to the abortionist, and tell the kid to just give in. False compassion is a great deal less work than true."
*"Every evil thing is a good thing ruined."
*"To mourn treating the image of God as tissue to be harvested in hope of cures, we must sorrow over the sick fancy that there is nothing worse than physical disease." ...more
This was a great guide that happened to accompany one of my business classes.
While the standards it presents for resume writing and navigating cyber-This was a great guide that happened to accompany one of my business classes.
While the standards it presents for resume writing and navigating cyber-space may be somewhat out of date, the principles regarding personal and professional conduct are timeless. The material is presented neatly but without that droning textbook feel most of us dread slogging through. (The occasional inclusion of a comic didn't hurt, either! :))
The sections on preparing for an interview--what to expect, practice ahead of time, and how to present yourself--were arguably the most invaluable parts of this book. I took away a great many tips that I'm certain helped me land a number of jobs over the years. ...more
All in all, this has been a deeply valuable reference for learning to read the Bible--and to explain to others how they can better understa4 1/2 Stars
All in all, this has been a deeply valuable reference for learning to read the Bible--and to explain to others how they can better understand it themselves and find relevant life application. On a deep study level, I'm impressed with how much its expanded my ability to discern the full historical and literary context of commonly misused/misunderstood passages and verses. I'd long understood that most abuses of biblical quotation and interpretation centered around either proof-texting, or a simple lack of thorough reading (not reading the verse before and after the verse in question, never mind taking the time to read the full paragraph or chapter it's actually found in.) But this book's orderly approach to gaining better perspective was enlightening to degrees that reminded me just how much I don't know I don't know. I came away awed by how many different genres make up the entirety of the Bible—I'd only been taught a few, and the scope of it had previously eluded me. Hence one of my favorite takeaways:
*“One of the most important aspects of the human side of the Bible is that, in order to communicate his Word to all human conditions, God chose to use almost every available kind of communication: narrative history, genealogies, chronicles, laws of all kinds, poetry of all kinds, proverbs, prophetic oracles, riddles, drama, biographical sketches, parables, letters, sermons, and apocalypses.”
How To Read Your Bible For All Its Worth is strongly academic, yet structured well enough to walk laymen through some progressive comprehension on the basis and basics of biblical interpretation. I don't recommend reading this book out of order, as the chapters generally build on each other. The first chapter is especially crucial to understanding where to begin with your reading/interpreting and why. There is a reasoning and a method to their suggestions, and it is blessedly orderly:
Exegesis: the careful, systematic study of the Scripture to discover the original, intended meaning. This is basically a historical task.
Hermeneutics: the study of the methodological principles of interpretation. It is used in the narrower sense of seeking the contemporary relevance of ancient texts.
*"The reason one needs to learn -how- to interpret is that, whether one likes it or not, every reader is at the same time an interpreter. That is, most of us assume as we read that we also understand what we read. … We also tend to think that -our understanding- is the same thing as the Holy Spirit's or human author's -intent-. However, we invariably bring to the text all that we are, with all of our experiences, culture, and prior understandings of words and ideas. Sometimes what we bring to the text, unintentionally to be sure, leads us astray, or else causes us to read all kinds of foreign ideas into the text."
It's difficult to rate a book like this, given its instructional/textbook-like feel and function. It is a bit dry at times, though the authors certainly make a go at humorous insertions to hold their reader's attention. At a few points I worried their wording choice was on the needlessly convoluted side—yet, it's hard to argue with the voice and perspective of theological professors who certainly know this material better than I could hope to. The main detractors that bothered this reader were their structural layout in the chapter explaining the four gospels, in which they didn't—for whatever reason—opt to tell us about the gospel authors. (I didn't mind looking that up myself, but it seemed exegetically relevant.) And their approach to chapter 13 (the Revelation) which seemed to shy away from the fantastical part of the imagery. Ultimately I was hoping for more depth into the numerous pools of interpretation for that book, but I can somewhat understand why they kept things brief with a book so full of unknowns. ...more
For such a relatively small tome, the impact it's left on me has been tremendous.
*prod-i-gal/prodigel--adjective
1. recklessly extravagant 2. having spFor such a relatively small tome, the impact it's left on me has been tremendous.
*prod-i-gal/prodigel--adjective
1. recklessly extravagant 2. having spent everything
(The duality of that definition never occurred to me before I got a hold of The Prodigal God.)
This book dissects one of the most oft-recited parables in all of Jesus' ministry: The Prodigal Son. Though the author is quick to point out that the story Jesus used as a teaching illustration wasn't named that by Him...he simply started out by saying: “There was a man who had two sons.” Keller suggests that instead of focusing on the lost son, as so many reading or teaching this parable are prone to do, we consider looking at it as a story of TWO lost sons. And from there, he lays out a studious argument for why both sons were in fact equally lost in their own destructive ways. One went off in overt rebellion and in-your-face dishonor/selfishness, while the other suffered from a more insidious heart condition—one masked by legalism and pride. Both were equally wrong. Both grieved their father.
It took until I was well into adulthood before I grasped the actual context of this story. Jesus was hanging out with a crowd of what Jewish society at the time would have considered the most 'undesirable' people—tax collectors and other all-around sinners. The uber-religious folk of that time/culture (Pharisees and teachers of the law) were of course watching and muttering amongst themselves about the poor quality of company Jesus was keeping. It was in the midst of this setting that Jesus told not one but three parables, culminating with the one The Prodigal God focuses on.
If I let myself highlight everything that struck me as poignant in this book, there would be more highlighting than not. >.< But here are a few favorite/illuminating quotes:
*"Religion operates on the principle of “I obey—therefore I am accepted by God.” The basic operating principle of the gospel is “I am accepted by God through the work of Jesus Christ—therefore I obey.”
*"The key difference between a Pharisee and a believer in Jesus is inner-heart motivation. Pharisees are being good but out of a fear-fueled need to control God."
*"If, like the elder brother, you believe that God ought to bless you and help you because you have worked so hard to obey him and be a good person, then Jesus may be your helper, your example, even your inspiration, but he is not your Savior. You are serving as your own Savior."
Keller also brought to my attention this critical point I'll admit I somehow overlooked for my almost entire life: It was the wild younger son who ultimately repented and reconciled himself to his father...but we're left not knowing if the self-righteous elder son did or not. (Jesus may have invented the cliffhanger ending. >.>)
If I've not realized the depth and significance of such a small piece of scripture, I have to wonder how very limited my understanding of the rest of it must be. And I'm both humbled and inspired to spend more consistent time in studying that which my tiny mind can never fully comprehend—the mysterious and boundless nature of God....more
I actually set this review aside for a few weeks because I didn't want my enthusiasm for this series to get in the way of my professionalism(or whatev I actually set this review aside for a few weeks because I didn't want my enthusiasm for this series to get in the way of my professionalism(or whatever passes for it...) >.> As it turns out, distance has only made my fangirling heart grow fonder.
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Brandon Sanderson is BRILLIANT. I don't even know where to begin, but I'll give it my best shot—this book deserves nothing less.
The plot? Think a sort of medieval fantasy version of Ocean's Eleven, and up the stakes a couple thousand times. (Instead of the goal being to rob an impenetrable casino vault, the objective is to overthrow the god-like tyrant “Lord Ruler”--who happens to be immortal and has kept the entire world under his slaughtering thumb for the last thousand years.)
Meet Kelsier, also known as The Survivor. A wildly charismatic and vengeance-driven mastermind (of questionable sanity)—he's assembling a highly specialized crew for a job that's nothing short of suicide. Yet, in a world where a brutal caste system means huge segments of the population are seen as expendable and sub-human, there's no shortage of folks with nothing left to lose.
Meet Vin, a 16-year-old street thief with serious (but justifiable) trust issues--who's only aim in life is survival. That is, until Kelsiar rescues and recruits her.
The story is told primarily from Kelsier and Vin's perspectives, with an assortment of well-developed and fascinating side characters thrown in to round out the 3rd-person telling. Things start out a touch slow for the first 50-80 pages before the worldbuilding takes off. But once Sanderson gets into the specifics of Allomancy (the “magic system” for this particular world) the immersion is complete and enthralling. Allomancy is, in essence, a person's capacity for using a number of metals (most actual and recognizable) as a sort of fuel source for enhancing some specific aspect of themselves. Most can only utilize one metal, and so have a single area of super-human specialty (i.e. enhanced strength, senses, emotional manipulation, metal repelling/attraction, etc.) A rare few, however, are Mistborn--capable of using all of the metals separately or in conjunction.
I won't go on and on about the magic system, but I will say it's one of the best and most logical I've ever encountered. I'm thoroughly convinced the clear-cut rules and limitations behind it, combined with the lore, would make for excellent gameplay. (So yeah...you should totally hop on that gravy train, video game developers! >.> You're welcome.)
Now I'll briefly touch on my opinion of a few other important story elements...
The Prose: Effective and unobtrusive—makes for effortless reading.
Character Development: Abundant, poignant, and wholly believable.
Characterization: Distinct, consistent, and original. (Vin is an extraordinary heroine.)
The Plot Arc: Complexly interwoven and skillfully executed.
The Ending: Satisfying, while leaving plenty open for future books.
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Have I mentioned that I don't impress easily?
I rarely buy books based on recommendations—I'm just that jaded, unfortunately. But I'd heard good things from SO many respectable sources that I took a gamble I've never before made—I bought the entire trilogy outright, sight-unread.
Buyer's Remorse Level: Zero.
Favorite Quotes:
*"Our belief is often strongest when it should be weakest. That is the nature of hope."
*"Belief isn't simply a thing for fair times and bright days, I think. What is belief--what is faith--if you don't continue in it after failure?" ...more
I didn't go looking for this book. It practically jumped off the shelf at me while I was Christmas shopping one day.
Hello, what's this? Anime Jesus?! I didn't go looking for this book. It practically jumped off the shelf at me while I was Christmas shopping one day.
Hello, what's this? Anime Jesus?! ...and he looks like a Samurai superhero?!? Yes, please.
Allow me to preface this review with the following disclaimer: If you a) have something against the bible, or b) aren't open to the bible being depicted in any format outside of the original King James, this book--and therefore this review--isn't for you. Goeth in peace.
For those of you earnest faith seekers who also happen to be visual learners and/or comic book fans, this book could very well be a Godsend. (...okay, pun intended.) But please bear in mind, this is not a purely illustrated version. Rather, the book is actually a small-print, delicate leaf NLT bible with select redundant sections of manga sandwiched in. The first block of illustration comes at the end of 2nd Samuel, the second begins in the middle of Isaiah chapter 9, and the third toward the end of Luke chapter 13.
The artwork itself is skillful and unobtrusive. There even seems to be a concerted effort toward ethnic accuracy (i.e. no blue-eyed, blonde Jews.) All in all, effective and impactful conveyance without a cheesy aftertaste. I was slightly disappointed they didn't tackle illustrating Revelations...but then again, I can't imagine how trippy that would have turned out. >.> ...more
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