A Turn of Light

Hello readers!

It has been a while since my last post! Wow! I haven't posted since last year ;-) (har har). The past few weeks have been a little hectic getting adjusted to no longer having the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season (sniff) and becoming resigned to the fact that I now have to face the coming winter with no color at all. Okay, that might be a little overdramatic, but that's just how I feel after leaving December behind!

Well, I did manage to escape a little of the dreariness by reading (what else?) I had found a book toward the end of fall semester that looked interesting and was not in a section I typically look in: Sci-Fi/Fantasy. I know, I know, you're probably thinking "but you've said you love fantasy, why do you not look in this section all the time?" Well, here's my answer: I typically find the authors that I like in the Christian Fiction section, through recommendations and loans by friends, browsing the teen fiction section (yes, I know it's not what you'd expect, but there are a few gems hidden among all the cheesy, eye-roll worthy romance novels), or a combination of all three. But, I was killing time in a bookstore (which shall remain nameless but I will say it shares names with two popular characters on screen for Marvel fans and Whovians) with my sweetheart, just browsing and not willing to end our night out before he took me home. And so I ended up in the Fantasy section of this bookstore. About a year ago, he had gotten me into Ender's Game, which is a good story. Well, I was looking to see if there were anymore books in that series on the shelf, along with Neil Gaiman, who has also written a book I am quite fond of as you can find out about in one of my earlier posts. On the same shelf unit, I spotted a title that looked rather interesting. So I picked it up and added it to the stack (I always carry around a stack that I end up placing back on the shelves because the practical side of me says that I can't have them, I don't like that side of me). Eventually, I chose this book over Neil Gaiman. Here is the title of the book that so intrigued me: A Turn of Light. Sound familiar? It should; it's the title of this post ;-)  So, I brought it home, let the boy borrow it since I was already in the middle of a book and finishing up the semester so I didn't need that kind of commitment. Eventually I got it back and was able to read this amazing story. So, let me see if I can sum it up in such a manner as to pique your interest as it did mine.

A Turn of Light

This book opens up with a girl of 18 sitting out in a meadow, talking with her invisible friend. The girl's name is Jenn, and her friend's name is Wisp. You know that everything is not as it seems by the end of the first chapter, with Wisp talking to his own friends. I won't reveal what was said, you'll have to read that for yourself ;-) But back to Jenn. She is just days away from her 19th birthday, the day on which she will be able to do what she wishes with her life, but the same day that her father wishes to see her settled down with a young man. All Jenn wants to do is to get out of Marrowdell and see the world. Only she can't, for two reasons, one which she knows all too well, and the other which she has no idea. The first is because her father and aunt want to see her marry a young man from Marrowdell and settle there where she grew up. After all, that's what any respectable young girl would do. The second reason, though, is far more dangerous. If Jenn were to leave Marrowdell, she would die and the entire world be thrown into chaos. Why would such a simple girl have such an effect on such a big place? For one simple fact: Jenn is turnborn which means she was born during a turn, or sunset in her world, at the very border between the world of Jenn Nalynn and the world of Wisp, who is not of her world. All of this Jenn is unaware of, running about Marrowdell like the country girl she is, full of dreams and hopes and wishes. Marrowdell itself is a special place. Being on the edge of two worlds, it holds magic and mystery unknown anywhere else in the world, but only those who know what to look for can recognize it. I won't go into detail about the magic, again you'll have to read about it for yourself, but that does bring in a good place to introduce two more characters who have big roles in the story.

Bannan Larmensu and his friend Tir are on their way north toward Marrowdell, bringing everything they need to start new lives. Bannan signed the settlers' pact, which allotted him land in the north wherever he wanted, and is searching for his destination. Tir is just being a loyal friend and former colleague and is tagging along to make sure his friend does not hurt himself. Why would this be a good place to introduce these two characters? Because Bannan is a truthseer, which means he can tell if someone is telling the truth and can also see things for what they truly are, even if they are cloaked by magic. Why is he significant to the the story? Because he eventually is able to see Marrowdell for what it truly is, a place of magic and danger, mystery and intrigue. But he decides to stay for many reasons, not the least of which is the lovely Jenn Nalynn. And so his part in this story sets itself up... or does it?

On to the story. This whole story is just one event after another. Yes, all stories are like this, but in this particular story, it seems, every small action is instrumental in setting up yet another event. Both Jenn and her sister Peggs are engaged, and the events surrounding those happenings are quite interesting. Jenn unwittingly uses true magic and sets the stage for a good part of the story. It isn't until a little past the middle of the book that she learns who she truly is and what she can do. But, I won't spoil it for you. You'll just have to read the book and find out for yourself ;-) I will say this about the ending of the book though, it does not end the way you think it might. At least, I didn't expect this ending.

So now time for my opinion of the book. Overall, it was a great read. I would definitely read it again, just when I actually have the time to focus on the book and not have to put it down every few pages. You know those books where a) you have to stay focused and not get distracted from it in order to really follow what is going on, and/or b) you have to put it down every few pages in order to stay sane because there is so much information at one time? This is that type of book, both a and b. Great story, I love the characters and their adventures. It just seemed to drag in places. It's definitely not for the casual reader, I'll give it that. But now that I've read it, I want to go back and read it once more and see what details I may have missed. And now I pass it on to you. Go, read it, and tell me what you think about it!

And in other exciting news, Ms. Czerneda has announced that she is writing a sequel to this book, so I'm looking forward to seeing where she takes the story.

That's all for now. Go find an adventure!

Happy reading!

Revisiting Old Friends

Hello readers!

As the summer is drawing to a close (sniff), it is time to start thinking about school, cold days ahead, actual responsibilities, and all that fun stuff. This weekend I took the time to revisit some old friends of mine to help me ease back into the regular swing of things.

Several years ago I found an author who goes by the name of Donita K Paul. Perhaps you have heard of her, perhaps you haven't. In case you haven't, you should check out some of her books. I definitely recommend the Dragonkeeper Chronicles, which just so happens to be the series I started to revisit this weekend. ;-)

I'll try not to spoil the books too much for you ;-) The story line of this series follows a young girl (well, she's a teenager at the beginning of the story) named Kale who finds out that she is destined to be a mighty dragonkeeper of Amara. She also happens to be a village slave and an orphan who does not know who her parents are or even that she has any special powers at all. She thinks she is a simple village slave and will continue to be the rest of her life. Until one day she finds her first dragon egg. As soon as her fingers touch the hard shell, her life is changed forever. She is sent by the village elders to a place called The Hall in the capital city of Amara, Vendela. Just before she reaches her destination, though, she is swept off onto a whirlwind quest. Her companions are an emerlindian (the equivalent of an elf of the Tolkien variety, with a few differences) and a doneel (the picture I always have in my mind is a three foot tall terrier-like man in flamboyant, bright clothing). These two are in service to Paladin, the good leader of Amara, and Wulder, the deity. Their quest is to bring back a rare, special dragon egg, a meech egg to be exact, from Risto, the evil wizard who wants to overthrow Paladin.

And so, Kale's new life begins. Little did she know just what a small dragon egg could do. And that is just the first book! Throughout the last four books, she and her companions go on even grander adventures and make new friends. They battle Risto and his cronies countless times, Kale ends up with dozens of small dragons buzzing around her head (okay maybe not dozens, but she does end up with quite a few), and in the end save the day. And, whilst reading these stories, you can find delicious recipes to try while engrossed in these adventures ;-)

That's all for today. I know, it was a short post. But, I am in the process of revisiting this series, so once I finish reading it again I will write a little more when it is all fresh on my mind. Or who knows, I might write about each book as I read it. You never know what I'll write about. So check back soon!

Who are some authors you would recommend that maybe very few people have heard of? Let me know in the comments. :-)

Happy reading!

Why I Read

Hello readers

It has been a little while since I last posted. I've been busy with summer term and life in general. But that has not stopped me from reading!

Today's post is one that I've been stewing on for a while now. To give a background of why I've been thinking about it for so long, let me tell you the sweetened condensed version of the story.

I was taking an introductory business course my first semester at college. Toward the end of the term, I was placed into a group with three other students. One day, one of my teammates, for the sake of anonymity and forgetfulness of names and all that good stuff I'll call him Will, and I were waiting in the library for the rest of the team to arrive so we could discuss our project. (I'm sure everyone who has taken any college course, especially a business course, can understand this!)  Well Will and I started talking to pass the time, and the subject of reading came up. After talking for a minute about it, Will asked me an unusual question, one that I'd never been asked before. I don't remember the exact wording that he used, but he asked if I took reading seriously, treating the worlds within the stories as real. I told him yes I do. He responded with the craziest (at least to my mind) statement, and as soon as he said it I knew he was not a reader, and had not experienced the joy that is reading, at least not in the way I have experienced it. Again, I don't remember the way he worded it, so I'll paraphrase his response. He said I should not take it so literally, that I should keep my head out of the clouds. The world around me is more important than the ones I find in books, and my life in the real world is the best thing to focus on than the one that I experience in books, according to Will. You can imagine that I did not like that comment too well. However, instead of jumping into a rant about how I love to read and just how good for the soul a good book is, I just nodded and said maybe so. So, that is the shortened version of the story behind why I have been thinking about this for a while. Over the past year it it will come back to mind and I will have one of those arguments inside my head and you totally kill the other person and win your case. But unfortunately Will is no longer around to hear it. So, here I am typing it out for you to read, my defense for why I read and lose myself in books.

To start with, books do not addle the brain, despite what Aunt March says. On the contrary they can make a brain a better thing, especially if it is nurtured properly. Reading stories can help develop imaginations which can spill over into the real world. With a greater imagination comes greater creativity. Greater creativity can lead to success in any career regardless of the field of work; it pushes readers to think outside the box to come up with unique solutions to problems of all shapes and sizes. One example, albeit humorous yet not so humorous, is how to respond to any insult or situation. You've heard of Disney comebacks for any situation; well there is the literary equivalent. This could really be expanded to responses for any awkward situation. I usually use a common phrase from Bryan Davis' books whenever I'm thinking too hard or I'm bombarded with information. The phrase is "My brain is choking!" Of course the effect is much better if you have a panicked look on your face and hold both hands to either side of your head. ;-)  I did get a little off subject, but I think it was worth it. That's just a small advantage that readers have over non-readers. But a part of my point about the imagination is readers are able to picture things in their minds. Books, especially those without pictures, give flight to the imaginations of those who open their pages. As a person reads the words on a page, the picture that the author has so wonderfully painted forms in their mind, giving them a viewing portal into the world in which the characters live. And that my friends, is imagination at work and being exercised.

Another advantage is the ability to escape. Stories give readers the wonderful opportunity to escape from the worries of the present world and run to the embrace of another place and sometimes another time, into the open arms of friends both old and new. I can't tell you how many times I have picked up a book to forget what I'm worried about or to run off on an adventure and escape the normal routine. Sometimes I just need a little comfort that can't be offered by anyone present, but the characters in the story world give me just what I need. If I need a laugh there are books that do just that (I'm reading one such book right now); if I need a word of wisdom any book on my shelf will give me what I need. So, books can provide the means for escape and comfort that nothing else can provide. Sure a movie or a video game can provide that, and for some people that is their outlet, but there is something special about using your imagination to paint a picture in your mind's eye and interpreting the descriptions for yourself.

Yet another reason why I love to read is this: I meet so many new friends. With every book I pick up I learn a new name that I know I will grow to love and a new name I will grow to despise and never want to see. And yet, each name is dear and special to me. Yes I may not want to see that character ever again, but I still want to see their name on the page because I know that means the story is not over yet and I don't have to say goodbye just yet to the characters I do like. There are some characters who have left the story worlds that I read, never again to dance across the pages, and that fills me with grief whenever I open those books. Yes, I can always go back and read the stories again, but that separation will always be there. I will never again meet them for the first time, never reel from the shock of their disappearance. These characters include Susan, Peter, Professor Kirk, Mr. Tumnus, and Reepicheep; Sapphira, Elam, Karen, and Professor Hamilton; Brom; Boromir; all these just to name a few. Some have died and some have just left the story altogether to live happily ever after, but they are my friends all the same. At the same time I have many friends who are still in the story at the end: Meggie and Mo; Maria, Robin, and Sir Benjamin; Aslan; Billy, Bonnie, Matt, Lauren, and Clefspeare. Through these friends I have gained wisdom, learned how to fight evil and allow good to prevail, how to persevere and hold on to my faith when it seems like all hope is lost.

Reading has taught me patience. (I know, this is probably a stretch, considering I do glance ahead to see if a character is still present later in the book) In spite of my flaw, I have developed a patience in waiting to learn what happens. There are many times when there is a situation in one of my books that I want to see resolved but it won't be resolved for several chapters because of a skipping between points of view. There is also the wait between books in a series! That is probably the worst kind of waiting when it comes to reading because even when you can't stand it any more and have to know what comes next, you can't look ahead except at the summary that the author might decide to give. And that is enough to drive any book lover absolutely bonkers!

One last thing is reading teaches readers to be quiet and still, even when everything around us is not. I could write a whole post about how calming a book can be, and I might do just that at a later date. Even when everyone else is running around and losing themselves in the hustle and bustle and noise around them, a reader can immerse herself in a good book and tune out everything else. This is what makes reading so relaxing. It helps a reader to slow down and de-stress, distracting from the worries of the day.

That is why I love to read. These are abbreviated reasons, but they still show just how wonderful it can be.

Even dogs love to read!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on reading and what it means for you! Tell me in the comments. Then go read a book and put your head in the clouds.

Happy reading!

A Tale of Two Girls

Hello readers!

I have a new book to share with you! But before I tell you about the book, let me introduce you to the author. He has written some of the most beloved children's books of his time, and ours, some of which have been made into feature films. Some of his other works provide insightful advice on the spiritual side of living, one of which has been adapted for the stage and radio. What's more, he was close friends with another great author of his time, and who is still celebrated today. You may already be familiar with who I am talking about. His name is Clive Staples Lewis. I have traveled throughout his imaginary world of Narnia more times than I can count, on paper and screen as well as listening to audio dramatizations of the books, and have been wanting to explore more of his writings.

I thought I had heard of all the titles that came from his pen. So, you can imagine my surprise and delight when I found a title that I had never seen before. It's called Till We Have Faces. The book is a retelling of an old myth written sometime in the 2nd century by the writer Apuleius. Reading this book made me want to read the original. I must say, it is a very interesting story. In the original, Psyche is the youngest and most beautiful of three royal sisters. She was so fair that people came from all over to worship her in place of the goddess Venus. Well, Venus grew jealous of Psyche's beauty and the worship she received because of it, so she commanded her son, Cupid, to make her fall in love with a monster and thus give her the retribution she deserved. The god agreed and made to obey his mother. However, while he was in the process of following through with his vengeful deed, he accidentally made himself fall in love with her. He became so enamored and so full of pity that he sought to rectify what he had done. Meanwhile, her parents received a prophecy that she was destined to wed a monster, and that she was to be taken to the top of the mountain and left to be claimed by her husband. After they had taken her and while she was fearfully waiting for the monstrosity to appear, the wind god retrieved her and took her to a palace with invisible servants who catered to her every whim. It was there that she found her husband, although she did not know what he looked like because he had forbidden her to set eyes on him. So, he came to her in the night and left before the sun rose over the horizon. After a time, even though her days were pleasurable, she began to be homesick and asked for permission to send for her sisters. Her husband agreed and sent the wind god to fetch them to her. Once the sisters saw where she had been living they grew jealous and wanted to make her miserable because of her luck. They told her that she had indeed wed a monster and advised her to take a candle and knife into the bedchamber with her that night, which she did. She lit the candle after her husband had fallen asleep, and only then did she realize that it was the god Cupid. Before she could snuff the candle out, she dripped hot wax onto his shoulder, which then woke him. Once he took in the situation, he flew away and the palace and everything in it disappeared. The poor girl wandered the countryside looking for her husband. She eventually went to Venus for help, who then set her doing many grueling tasks. After a time, Cupid learned of what was happening, and asked Jupiter to make Venus release Psych. He did, and Cupid and Psyche were wed, making her a goddess.

Cupid and Psyche

The retelling was similar, except it told the story from the perspective of the oldest daughter, Orual. In fact, the story doesn't just consist of Psyche's story; it follows the heartache of a woman shunned by all she loves, and her life alone. It is divided into two parts. The first part is Orual's complaint against the gods for all the heartache and woes she has experienced throughout her life, one of which is having a not so pleasant countenance. She is the oldest daughter of the king of Glome; her tutor is a Greek slave called the Fox, who is more of a grandfather than tutor, the only man who ever truly loved her; her youngest sister is the Psyche from the myth, the Psyche who breaks her sister's heart and leaves her to nurture her hurts. She is sent to the mountain to be a human sacrifice for a monster because of her goddess-like beauty and countenance. It is here that the story walks away from Psyche, and instead follows Orual's turmoil over losing her beloved younger sister who she raised like she was her own child. The second part is Orual's coming to terms with who she is and realizing how powerful she could be if she let herself believe it.

Instead of summarizing the whole book, which would take entirely too long, I'll instead offer my thoughts on the story. I think one of the most poignant morals that can be pulled from this story is your life is what you make it. I know that sounds cliche and is overused, but this is definitely one of the underlying themes of the story. Orual allows her father to verbally, and sometimes physically, abuse her and make her think that she is ugly and not worth anything to anyone. She manages to find solace in the company of the Fox and Psyche, although that too is taken away from her. Initially she is bitter and hard, unwilling to believe that any good can come of her situation. However, in the last bit of the first part and into the second part she realizes that despite her flaws and misfortunes she can still be a powerful, loved leader if she is willing to embrace who she is. Psyche is also an example of this. At first the reader only thinks that she is deluded and has a childlike imagining of what her life is like with her husband. However, like Orual, that opinion is changed once the older sister sees a vision of the god telling her of Psyche's fate. Even though she is cursed to wander the earth, ever weeping and searching, scorned by all, Psyche still believes that her husband is out there waiting for her. It is this thought that helps her overcome all the obstacles between her and her lover. So we see the difference between the two sisters' outlooks: one has a miserable life because of how she views it, the other has a bearable life because she knows there is something better.

Even though it was his last, the writing in this book is some of Lewis' best that I have come across. I nearly wept when reading about Orual's heartache, and laughed when the Fox offered a nice retort. The overall beauty of this tale is enough to make it a treasured story. Lewis presents the raw emotion so very clearly, and in such a way that leaves the reader feeling the way the characters feel. This story is one of the best that has made its way from Lewis' mind to the bookstore, and yet it is the lesser known of all his works, and that makes me a little sad. So many have not had the opportunity to experience this amazing journey, unfortunately.

Well, that about wraps it up for this post. Now that you've had a taste of what this story has to offer, I hope you'll delve into the full adventure soon. If you already have experienced this adventure, I would love to hear what you think about it.

If you have any suggestions about what I should share my thoughts about, or any books, feel free to let me know!

Happy reading!

The Last Goodbye

Hello readers.

Last time I posted, I told you that I was about to embark on a final journey in my favorite story world. Well, I did, and let me tell you my face was not as dry when I finished as when I started. To say the very least, it was a beautiful, emotional journey that took me places I never thought I would go, experience things I have never experienced before, and said goodbyes I hoped I would never have to say. And yet, I did. In my last post I gave you a little bit of history about the story world, and my emotional attachment, at least the best I could describe it in words on a screen. In a nutshell, saying this last goodbye was as hard as I thought it would be. Some of you may have already guessed at the inspiration for the title of this post. If you haven't then click on the link I will give and you will see what I am talking about. This song ran through my head as I was thinking about writing this post and saying one Last Goodbye to the characters and story world I have grown to love. So get comfortable, grab a tissue if you are the sympathetic type, and prepare for an emotional venting.

Omega Dragon is the name of this book, the book to end all books (okay, that's a little melodramatic, but work with me here ;-) ). As you can probably tell from the title, this story is truly the end of the story world as I and many other readers have known it for the past decade. The book before this one, The Seventh Door, as I mentioned in my last post, brought all of the characters to the beginning of the climax, the beginning of the end. One was literally at death's door, another was waiting to be regenerated into a new body, still others were making the journey to find their loved ones and save those who could not defend themselves.

From the first page of Omega Dragon (I'll call it Omega for short) I was taken on a whirlwind adventure following these characters who I have come to call friends, following them on their journey to save the world and those who are precious to them. As I have come to expect from these characters, there was a tremendous amount of sacrifice, both of blood and happiness, in order to save innocents. Some of these sacrifices were shocking and unexpected, even though there were hints throughout the book pointing the astute reader toward the inevitable. One in particular moved me to shed more than a few tears; I had rooted for and supported (as well as I could) the characters involved in this sacrifice, this giving up of life, since the first time I read their names on the page. Even here at the end, I met new friends and watched them sacrifice themselves for people they knew only for a few short hours. Their sacrifices moved me to see the beauty of selfless giving for those who cannot give of themselves.

I am still struggling to find the words to describe my feelings for this bittersweet ending. It seemed to move so quickly once the setting was established. I found myself losing sense of reality and allowing myself to be drawn into the world that I have come to know and love. I don't think you could have pulled me out of it very easily.

I would give a synopsis of the story, but I'm not quite sure how I would do that and not give spoilers at the same time. I think it goes without saying that the previous books have led up to this climactic battle waged literally between good and evil, Heaven and Hell. The events which took place within the pages of Omega had me in near shock as I tried to take it all in. All of the characters eventually find their way to the sight of this great battle, and to each other as well. I won't specify the names, but two of the bravest characters in this story world, with their fiery faith and loving hearts, put their strength together to help win the day for the forces of good. The ultimate weapon for the same side is finally revealed and swoops in just in time to win the battle. And the ending. Oh, the ending. There are not words enough to describe just how wonderful and beautiful it was. I'll venture to say that it was even more beautiful than the ending to the previous series, and if you know me that is saying something! Again, I'll try not to spoil the story for you. I can say that our characters are reunited with dearly departed loved ones and do not have to say goodbye anymore. All my friends are living in bliss, some more literally than others, and they are living their true happy ending. As a little bit of a spoiler, one of the couples in the story finally have one of their deepest desires fulfilled. I'll not say what it is exactly, but the two mentioned it in one of the earlier books. Another romance, that has been hinted at since the second book, is finally realized and is brought to fruition. Another is reunited with their life partner without fear of losing them again.

Overall, a very well written book and the perfect end to an amazing story. Oh the emotions I experienced while reading this! If only there were words to describe. I can say that I shed more tears while reading this one ending than I did any of the other eleven books. I'm still finding it hard to believe that it is actually over, done with, that I will not read a new line in that world again. That's a sobering thought by itself. But I cheer myself up by telling myself that it's not the complete end. I can still go back to the beginning and relive all the adventures. And I plan to do that as soon as I have the time.

Well, I suppose that wraps it up for now. I may come back and vent a little more emotion and thought on this book. I hope your interest in exploring a new series has been sparked. If so, then by all means go and find those books! If not, let me try again by telling you this joke about a fish who flopped up on a golf course one day...

If you have read the books, I want to know your thoughts and experiences! And to know just how many of us are out there ;-)

Happy reading!

A Wonderful Adventure

Hello readers!

In my last post, I hinted that I would be talking about a series which is my absolute favorite and is, sadly, coming to an end. If you have never heard of Bryan Davis, then I suggest you stop reading this post, and go find some of his stories to read. He is by far the best fantasy author I have read to date. But before I forget where I'm going with this, let me tell you about this particular series that has become my second home (for those of you who regularly escape to the worlds between pages, you know what I am talking about :-) ). I will be waxing poetic about this story, so there is a good chance this can get lengthy, so grab a mug of something hot to drink and get comfortable. Even so, I will do my best not to give any important spoilers. ;-)

This story actually takes place over the course of three different series, with four books each, but each series is a continuation of the last. The first series, Dragons in Our Midst, opens up with a young teen named Billy. He is your average teen living the life of a normal American high schooler: he has a best friend, he is picked on my the school bully, and is very talented. Only, his life is not very normal. He learns an age old secret that his parents, specifically his father, have kept from him. He discovers that he has an unusual trait that belongs to the descendants of a species long thought to be extinct: dragons. But, obviously, this race of creatures has indeed lived for centuries, since the days of Noah, in fact, and Billy's father is one of them, preserved in human form by the great wizard Merlin himself. There are only a few of the original dragons left alive, and an old enemy is still hot on their trail. The children of these dragons are called anthrozils, since they are part human and part dragon. Another anthrozil, named Bonnie, also a teenager, is searching for the son of the great dragon Clefspeare, following her mother's final request. Unlike Billy, she has known about her heritage most of her life. She has what she describes to others a deformity on her back. So as to not give spoilers, I won't tell you what the deformity is, but I will say it saves her life, and the lives of others, many times. Eventually, Billy and Bonnie meet, and together they fight off the dragon slayer. Throughout this first series they must join with friends, both old and new, family, and even a supercomputer to save the world from a powerful force that has been terrorizing the world since Creation. Their adventures take them everywhere from the foothills of West Virginia to the mountains of Montana to England to other dimensions. Together, this team of heroes must rely on each other, steel, dragon fire, and, most importantly, faith in order to forgive, heal wounds both on the heart and on the skin, and save the world and each other.

The second series, Oracles of Fire, actually begins centuries before Dragons in Our Midst. Eye of the Oracle, the first book in this series, introduces Mara, an underborn who has lived underground her entire life and is curious about the world; Acacia, Mara's twin sister; Elam, the son of Shem, who was taken from his family as a young child; and Mardon, an evil genius and the son of King Nimrod and Semiramis, a sorceress. This book begins in the days leading up to the great Flood of Noah. Morgan and her sister Naamah are scheming to gain passage on Noah's ark in order to survive the coming deluge and to complete the evil work set for them by Samyaza, a fallen angel and Morgan's husband. It is in this book that we are introduced to the first dragon, Arramos, and the two dragons chosen to sail on the ark with Noah, Makaidos and Thigocia. The story takes us throughout history from the days following the Flood and the fall of the Tower of Babel, to Joseph of Arimathea, to the days of King Arthur and Camelot, to the present day. Along the way, these new characters experience the changing of the times, Mara chooses a new name for herself and becomes Sapphira Adi, dragons find a new purpose, Elam realizes where he needs to be to fulfill his destiny; all of this comes together and brings us to the end of the book and the end of Dragons in Our Midst. From the second book onward, we see familiar faces mixing with new faces: Billy and a few of our friends meet Sapphira, Makaidos finds his long lost father in a new form, Bonnie is guided by the prophet Enoch to know where she should go, and all of our characters join forces in a place called Second Eden to battle Satan and his army from hell and keep them from penetrating Heaven's door. This adventure concludes with a climactic battle that quite literally leaves your heart pounding in your chest as if you are standing right there with Billy, Bonnie, Sapphira, and the others. And the ending is exactly as you would expect it to be, and all of our characters live happily ever after.

That is, until the third and final *sniff* series, Children of the Bard. Song of the Ovulum, the beginning of the end, is set fifteen years after Bones of Makaidos, the final book in Oracles of Fire and my favorite of the entire story world. Billy, Bonnie, and Ashley, another anthrozil, are imprisoned in a military compound; their children have been stripped from them and raised apart, never knowing their identity or heritage. Matt, their son, grew up in foster care, and has spent the last few years in military training; he also has unique traits. He is withdrawn from training by a stranger who seems to know everything there is to know about him, plus things that not even he knew. The stranger, who turns out to be Walter, his father's best friend, takes him on a mission to rescue his parents. Lauren, Matt's twin sister, was raised by loving foster parents; she, too has an unusual trait, one which gives the catty girls at her school ammunition to cruelly tease her. Her world is turned upside down when a demon named Tamiel kills her best friend and foster parents and sends her to places unknown. Before long she stumbles upon a military compound and two men, Walter and Matt. Together they stage a rescue mission to break the teens' parents and Walter's wife Ashley out of the compound. Along the way they meet a few unexpected allies, as well as a few enemies. They are successful in getting all three captives out, only to have Bonnie abducted by Tamiel, who then exploits her gentle and compassionate nature to force her to help him achieve his goal. Eventually she finds Matt and, with his help, heals the people of Second Eden. Lauren is reunited with her father and sets out with him to find her mother in Second Eden. Along the way, however, they are separated, and she alone can find Second Eden. She finds the portal only to find that a terrible disease has struck the former dragons, leaving them weak and threatening to kill them. They have been transported to Second Eden where they can receive as much care as is possible. A cure has been found but can only be administered with extreme heat, and the only source of heat that extreme is the volcano just outside the village. But, the only way this particular volcano will erupt is if someone falls into its mouth. Lauren knows what she must do, but before she gets a chance to carry out her sacrificial act, a Second Edener named Eagle takes her place and gives his life in place of hers. Lauren is left to flee the oncoming lava, and is saved in the nick of time by Walter and Ashley. In the end, the former dragons and Lauren are saved, Billy is captured by military thugs, and Matt and Bonnie are once again in the clutches of Tamiel, and are sent on a long journey with Matt's former foster sister Darcy to find seven keys. Each key is located at a "door", or a location that is permeated with evil. This journey is designed to kill Bonnie's salvation song, the song of the ovulum. They find all seven keys, but not without mishaps along the way. Bonnie is captured by Satan and forced to watch Matt struggle through one of the doors on his own, without her wisdom to guide him. However, through circumstances that are of the supernatural and are the culmination of faith, she is able to break her bonds and fly to meet Matt at the final door. It is while she is en route that she meets Lauren and Roxil, one of the dragons still in dragon form. Together they make their way toward the seventh door, where they find Billy, Walter, Ashley, Matt, Darcy, and Tamiel. All of our friends must face down the devil himself and try to save humanity. Despite their best efforts, a catastrophic force is unleashed, and Matt, Lauren, and Darcy are plunged into yet another adventure that will bring them even closer to the end of the world as they know it. The third book ends with our heroes preparing themselves for one final epic battle between the forces of good and evil.

I will have the final book in this amazing story world in my hands within the next few days. This will be the most emotional, heart pounding, gut wrenching adventure I have been on in this world. There are so many conflicting emotions that I cannot begin to describe exactly how I feel about it. The characters have been my friends throughout these eleven books, and it will be hard to let them go and to know there will be no new adventures to experience with them. All the same, I am anxiously awaiting this final chapter, the final showdown between the army of God, and the army of hell. It will be one of courage, faith, friendship, humility, and sacrifice. There will be no turning back. As dramatic as that sounds, it is true. Once I have read the final word in this book, and have had time to process the journey I will have completed, I will do my best to describe my thoughts and feelings about it. For now, though, go find a Bryan Davis book to read!

Whew. That has almost left me breathless. I told you it would be lengthy. ;-)   I can't really help it though, I absolutely love these books, and cannot say enough about them.

If you are familiar with Bryan Davis, I want to know your thoughts on his works. Let me know what they are in the comments! If not, I encourage you to check his books out and see if you like them or not.

I will be back in a few days writing about this new book, so check back soon!

Happy reading!

Inconceivable!

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope your January has been a fun one and full of grand adventures. I for one have already been on several journeys, and am embarking on yet another. Let me tell you about the first adventure I had this year.

As you may have already guessed from the title of this post, I went to Florin and explored the Cliffs of Insanity, the Fire Swamp, shark-infested waters, and everything in between in the Princess Bride. Some of you may be saying "Wait, there was a book?" Yes, there was a book before the movie. I didn't know until a couple of years ago. This is my first time putting my hands on a copy, which I decided to pick up before a new years trip to the mountains. William Goldman, the author of the book and screenwriter of the movie, presents the book as an abridged version of the original Florinese story by S. Morgenstern. He does a very good job convincing the reader that it is indeed merely an adaptation of the original book, when in fact the entire story is out of his own mind. (As you can probably guess from this, I was one of the readers who actually believed the story was the way he presented it. In my defense, the layout and presentation of the book was such that it had every appearance of not being the original work...) He paints an elaborate picture of his fictional life an experiences with this particular story. As a young boy, the son of a Florinese immigrant, he is introduced to the book as he is recovering from a bout of pneumonia. His fascination with the book carries over into adulthood, when he attempts to give his own son the gift of reading the story that carried him through his dark days. However, after his son receives the book, and he asks him about it, Goldman realizes that his father only read the good parts aloud to him, skipping over the boring narratives. It was then and there that he decided to condense the book to only the "exciting parts" so as to make it appealing to all ages and levels of interest in reading.

After the long "history" behind his decision to practically rewrite the book, we finally get to the story. It is much as you would expect if you have seen the movie, as I have countless times. The movie itself is set much like Goldman would have been with his father reading The Princess Bride to him, recovering from pneumonia, only there is a boy with his grandfather, but that is a minor detail. The rest of the book is interspersed with Goldman's opinions on the "original" story, and why he left something out, or what he would have added in. For me personally, before I realized that it was merely a setup or fabrication that the story was what it was, it did get a little annoying. Although I am one for wanting to know history behind certain events in a book; otherwise I just don't know what in the world is going on. Goldman intentionally decided to not write about the historical aspect of the story, or include certain descriptions, although considering the whole supposed premise behind the book I think I can forgive him ;-)  Overall, the book was great. Everything that I expected to happen, happened, plus some. It is a story that I am very familiar with, and I even found myself quoting along with the characters, but all the same it never gets old and is always exciting to experience.  This is one of the few instances where the movie is true to the book. Granted the screenplay was adapted from the book by the author, but still, it is rare that you find a movie so true to the original story, if there is one.

Those are my thoughts on the book. Have any of you read it? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Let me know in the comments.

Happy reading!

Lesson from Thorin

I know it's been a while since I last posted. It has been one crazy semester. I have finally found a few minutes to sit and write about the Hobbit. So, without further ado, I'll tell you about a lesson from Thorin. It'll be short and sweet, but still important.

For those of you who have not read the book, Thorin is a dwarf prince without a home. In his childhood Smaug the dragon took over his home in Erebor. During the attack, the elves living nearby brought their army, but turned away when they saw it was a hopeless endeavor. Thorin's heart hardened toward any elves after that day and as a result will have nothing to do with any elves. This hatred is further incited when Thorin and the rest of the company are captured by the wood elves of Mirkwood, the very same elves who refused to help his grandfather in the attack on the lonely mountain.

Whenever Thorin is approached with the idea of wielding an elvish blade or seeking refuge with elves, even if they are not woodland elves, he refuses. Gandalf recognizes this and chastises him, saying that he is not his grandfather that the past is in the past and he needs to just let it go. Okay, so I may have pulled that last little bit from Disney, but who's counting ;-) The rest of it is what he said in a nutshell.

We can learn from Thorin's hate and unwillingness to forgive. He has the stubbornness of his people ingrained within him. For us, if there is someone who has wronged us in the past, we should be willing to forgive them and let bygones be bygones. Thorin slowly realizes this as the story comes to its climax. It's easier to hold a grudge and stay angry at someone for the rest of your life, but does that really make you happy? Thorin's pride and stubbornness kept him from gaining valuable allies; the hate he kept inside made him bitter and cold. Forgive and forget. You will be all the happier for it.

It's just one more week until the final installment in this saga comes to theaters. I hope y'all are planning to see it at some point.

Let me know what you think, if you agree or disagree. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Happy reading!

In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit...

Hello readers!

I know it's been a little while since I last posted. This past month has been hectic, between Midterms and Halloween and work. I'm ready to get back in the groove.

So, in case you haven't already figured it out, I love reading fantasy. It's my favorite genre to read. So it should come as no surprise when I tell you that, in honor of the new movie coming out in December, I'm going to talk about one of the best classic fantasy novels, the Hobbit. I will give a warning to those who have not read this book: this post may contain spoilers, so if you want to read it first, go read the book (it'll only take a couple of hours) and then come back. :-)

In a previous post, I talked about why I choose fantasy as my favorite genre, and why others choose it. One of the books I mentioned was the Hobbit. It is, in my opinion, the book that any fantasy reader should learn to read fantasy with, and the one fantasy adventure they should have on their bookshelf, no matter what.

So what is the Hobbit? Well, it is the story that kicks off J. R. R. Tolkien's most famous work, the Lord of the Rings. With fantastic (no pun intended) prose and magnificent imagery, we are introduced to the One Ring and how it came to be in Bilbo Baggins' possession.

It begins with the classic "In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit...", hence the name of this post. It is, perhaps, one of the most oft quoted lines by fantasy fans. Not too many pages past this line the reader is audience to an amusing exchange between Bilbo and Gandalf the Grey, discussing the logic behind wishing someone a good morning. For me, personally, it just introduces the reader to the sassiness that makes up part of Gandalf's personality.

In a sense, this story can be taken as a fable, or a story which contains a moral lesson. In fact, if you look at it with that view, there is more than one lesson to be learned from this adventure. The first lesson, and perhaps the main lesson to be taken away, is to be willing to step out of your comfort zone. The Hobbits of the Shire were a peaceful, nonadventerous people, and Bilbo was one of the most respectable Hobbits. So you can imagine that when he decided to go adventuring across Middle Earth, the rest of the Hobbits shook their heads and muttered about it for the entire year he was gone. They said, in not so many words, that he had lost his mind, that he was no longer respectable. This perception followed him into his later years, which you can read about a little in Fellowship of the Ring. But on this journey, he realized that a Hobbit can go on adventures and come home perfectly fine. In fact, he surprised himself and the dwarves he accompanied. It is constantly implied that those who come into contact with Bilbo are continually amazed at the courage of Hobbits. In essence, the take away is if you believe in yourself, you can surprise even yourself with what you can accomplish.

Well, that's all I have for now about this amazing book. As I was writing this, I was inspired to write about the different lessons that can be learned from this story until the movie comes out. So, check back every week or so until December 17, which is the date the final installment in the trilogy (I know, a trilogy out of one book?) is released in theaters.

In the meantime, I want to hear your thoughts about this book, or any of Tolkien's other works. Tell me what you think about this lesson to learn.

If you haven't experienced this story yet, stop what you're doing, turn the computer off, go find a copy of The Hobbit, and sit down in a comfortable chair with a cup of something hot and read. You won't be disappointed.

Happy reading! :-)

Why choose fantasy?

Fantasy releases the imagination

 When one is trying to decide on a genre to read, they are overwhelmed by the vast number of choices. Some are predictable, such as any romance, and some throw curve balls where you least expect them, like mystery and dystopian. There are genres that are celebrated, as in the case of classics and poetry, and others that are looked down upon. One such genre is fantasy. There is no other genre that is as condemned by the literature elite as fantasy. For decades, it has been categorized as inconsequential literature, not to be taken seriously. It can be classified as the “genre of the impossible”, introducing ideas that are foreign to us today, even if they were well known in our history. This is part of what makes it so appealing to us, and why it has seen a rise in popularity in recent years. There have been numerous essays and papers written on why fantasy is so appealing to readers, and to young readers in particular. One of my favorite authors has stated many reasons why he believes young people choose fantasy so often. For girls, it is not always the longing to see a brave knight rescuing a damsel in distress. Rather, they want to see a heroine who is willing to come to her knight’s aid if he falls in battle. This heroine is often the girl they see within themselves, who they want to be. For the boys, it is a little more complicated. It is hardwired in them to be heroes, to be warriors that will protect those who cannot protect themselves. Reading fantasy inspires them to greatness and gives them heroes to look up to as an example. They want to be the heroes that they see in the mirror. Boys and girls, especially young children, want to see love portrayed in its purest form, as many are not shown that emotion at home. There is a lack of chivalry and nobility in our world today, and fantasy fills that gap for many. In fact, some of the best fantasy works that I have read involve a pure romance, battles between good evil, and warriors rescuing those who can’t help themselves. Not only is fantasy attractive to children and teens, it is also a favorite among adults. Like the younger generations, adults want to see the good that has been forgotten and seems to be nonexistent. In addition, it is almost always written to deal with issues that are looming at the time in which the book is written. For example, T. H. White’s The Once and Future King was written in the years preceding the Second World War. The author stated that the overall theme of his book was to explore alternatives to war.

Fantasy offers an escape from everyday life and the harsh realities of our own worlds, and places us in the middle of a new, completely different realm. In this new world, the author can choose to use places in our own history that we seem to have forgotten or take us to new lands  that can only be seen in our imaginations, in times that we do not know or have yet to know. We find unusual creatures, some based on the familiar, while there are others that our minds have never even imagined in any form. Among these creatures, there are wizards and elves, dwarves and fairies, and dragons and shape shifters. Within these different species there are those who possess magic, while the majority does not and are at the mercy of the powerful. Sometimes, the whole world has a sense of magic about it. Even though this genre has only been widely popular for a few decades, it has actually been in existence for centuries, with its roots in ancient mythology. In fact, many fears and stories within works of fantasy are based on old European superstitions. Some of the first pieces of fantastical literature include the Epic of Gilgamesh and Homer’s Odyssey. Obviously, our perception of what could be included in fantasy has changed over the past few centuries. Now, we see works like Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, and the many works of Roald Dahl. One of the best known authors in the world of fantasy is J. R. R. Tolkien. He set the tone for modern fantasy in his famous work The Lord of the Rings. Many other authors have followed in his footsteps, creating other worlds and complex story lines.

I have read three out of the many books within this genre to explore the differences within this genre and to compare them to one another. My titles of choice were Inkdeath, the conclusion to the magical Inkspell trilogy, Stardust, the novel inspiration for the movie of the same name, and The Hobbit, which requires no explanation. Out of these three Inkdeath and Stardust are most alike, while The Hobbit stands by itself. In Inkdeath and Stardust, the greatest similarity is the relative ease of traveling between worlds. Granted the modes of travel are different, and one is more difficult than the other, but they are generally the same. All three books are similar in the variety of species that inhabit their pages. Each book has its own unique population, that’s for sure, but all three have only a few characters that possess some sort of magic while the remaining characters lack this gift. Inkdeath differs from the other two books by not having a quest as the main storyline. While its characters have a definite goal that they hope to accomplish, they do not have to travel great distances in order to do so; they simply must try to outsmart their adversaries. In both The Hobbit and Stardust, the main characters take a journey in order to complete a quest, whether that quest be helping to reclaim a mountain or bringing back a star. The prose used to write these two books is also remarkably different from Inkdeath. The first two use an older, more formal style of text, which is reminiscent of late 19^th century and early 20^th century writings, while the latter has a modern, more casual style. Depending on your personal preference, that can be an attractant or a deterrent. Since fantasy has such a wide range of characteristics and sub-genres, it is difficult to read two books back to back within this genre that are as similar as these are to each other. Of the three, I would most recommend The Hobbit. Not only is this book a classic, it takes readers on an incomparable journey. Simply put, it teaches readers priceless lessons, and can be read by a child or adult, making it the ideal choice for anyone wanting to venture into a fantastical world.

All these reasons, and more, are why I choose to read fantasy more than any other genre. Yes, I enjoy a good old fashioned historical romance or a mystery, but put a fantasy novel in my hands and you have made me a happy girl! I would love to hear your thoughts on this genre. Any other reasons why fantasy is a great genre to read? Or, if you don't prefer it, what are the cons to reading fantasy? Let me know in the comments!

Happy reading!