Before I start I just have to say that this is an ironic post. I knew about blogs, but I only started really getting into them when I googled for early reviews of this book. So in a way this is the book that started this blog.
After reading the book, I do think 'Twilight's Dawn' is good. It had a lot of guts in it. Anne Bishop was really brave in my opinion to go where her characters took her. I do not think that this is a series breaker. I actually think that 'Twilight's Dawn' hearkens back to what the story was always supposed to be about - the price of happiness.
I think that, from reading a lot of reviews on 'Twilight's Dawn', most people who talk about this book need to use spoilers. I'm going to do the same, particularly with 'The High Lord's Daughter'. I don't think you can review that story without spoilers. I also will be a bit different in this review from my other, usual reviews, because I, like a lot of fans read the spoilers before publication. Many fans refuse to read Twilight's Dawn or even acknowledge it. I want to explain my opinions of the book before and after I read it. This could be a long post (in fairness most of mine are). You have been warned.
Following on from my review of 'Heir to the Shadows' I will go ahead and review 'Queen of the Darkness' as if the reader has read the first two novels in the series.
Character growth is probably my favourite thing about 'Queen of the Darkness'. This is the book where all the characters come together and start to form a real family. It is a joy to read about how the three main narrators - Saetan, Daemon and Lucivar - have changed from the first instalment 'Daughter of the Blood'. Lucivar especially has grown into a man in a way that he wasn't before (spoiler) he is now married, has a son and has his own ruling responsibilities as well (end spoiler). Jaenelle and Daemon also reunite (I don't think that really needs to be forewarned as a spoiler) and it is really fun to read about their awkward yet cute early beginnings in their relationship. The most touching and laugh-out-loud relationship in this book for me is Saetan and Daemon - they both begin to understand what being each others mirror truly means. They are both supportive and wary of each other.
It isn't surprising that with all this character growth and family bonding that 'Queen of the Darkness' also contains a lot more risk factor. The characters have a lot more to lose when the baddies start making some moves as they now not only have Jaenelle to protect they also have their new family. I think that the level of sacrifice is high but it also makes the story swerve away from the cheesiness that sometimes it goes into. Everything has a price after all, and that price is pretty extreme. Daemon and Saetan are probably the ones who make the most personal sacrifices, but also do a whole lot of other characters, many of which are characters that have played a relevant role in the earlier books.
The baddies - Hekatah and Dorothea - are still pretty bad. We don't see the same shocking displays of evil that characterised 'Daughter of the Blood' but there are still hints of who they really are. I'm pretty hard to please when it comes to villains though - the only series that really satisfies me in these terms is 'A Song of Ice and Fire'. Overall though, I think 'Queen of the Darkness' has its share of dark and disturbing moments - what certain characters have to do to play the nasty game highlights the standard of evil in the series, and as always some of the things included are pretty graphic.
The climax of the trilogy for me was okay. I wasn't overly sold on it despite the fact that 'Queen of the Darkness' is a strong book. I think that the way the conflict was resolved was a little out of nowhere - obviously the reader wasn't supposed to know what is about to happen, but even the way the main characters (the ones who set it up) come up with it is a bit off in my opinion. I still think that it was a decent, and logical solution, I just also thought that it smacked of a cop-out. Just a little bit. Also, it basically advertises 'The Invisible Ring' as an explanation of what the characters here do. I know 'The Invisible Ring' came out after the trilogy, but still it feels a bit like a way of getting out of really fleshing out why Jaenelle does what she does - she just simply gets inspired by characters that haven't made an appearance in the story thus far.
After the climax the story is still good. We see the rebuilding of many things, and also see that the emotional toil of what went down is something that the characters will live with for the foreseeable future. There are some heartbreaking moments, but also a couple of happy ones that many readers have been waiting for.
'Queen of the Darkness' is a heartbreaking read in some respects but it is also heartwarming in others. The entire trilogy, which can be bought in an omnibus version, is something that to me is special. I bought the book on a whim, and I believe that I would have never have read it at all only I was doing the fifty book challenge that year. I was very unsure of it, because it is the type of series that is both very unique but also very hard to get an impression of based on reviews or summaries. I know that I found the book an easy read but also one with a very rich world and fascinating characters that I couldn't help but root for. I think that the best way to recommend the trilogy, or the rest of the series for that matter, is to say that the books are cult. They do have bits that are a bit out there, but the characters and the world are always believable at their core, and the people who like these books tend to really like them perhaps because of this.
In
my previous post I explained the basics about Angels and Airwaves, so I’m not
going to do much repeating here. You can check out what I said here if you want to.There was a slight line-up change
around the time of this album because Matt Watcher replaced Ryan Sinn as the
bassist.I remember reading once – I think in Kerrang!
Ages back – that the ‘I’ stands for ‘Imaginary’ Empire but I’m not too
sure.The ‘I’ could stand for anything.
I really liked the single
‘Everything’s Magic’ in a way it sums up the band in terms of its cheerful,
upbeat sound and lyrics.I have to
admit that this isn’t my favourite album by them.However I do like many of the songs on the
album – and none are so bad that I wouldn’t listen to them.Some of the songs on ‘I Empire’ are gentle
and delicate love songs – like songs of this nature should be.Examples are ‘Breathe’ and ‘Sirens’ – they are both
very sweet songs.There are also some
real anthems such as ‘Secret Crowds’ and ‘Heaven’.
‘Heaven’ is an important song for
Angles and Airwaves, not because it closes the album, but because it is a
prominent example of how the band re-use riffs.‘Heaven’ echoes ‘Valkyrie Missile’.Angles and Airwaves are after all a multimedia project, so it could be
suggested that they re-use riffs and sound bites for effect as opposed to
laziness.The way I see it is that they
use instrumental themes like they do in musicals.
‘I Empire’ is a decent album.I do recommend ‘We Don’t need to Whisper’
over it in many respects, but I do believe that ‘I Empire’ does contain some
real gems that shouldn’t be missed.
Marlow, a seaman and a wanderer, recounts his physical and psychological journey in search of the infamous ivory trader Kurtz. Travelling up river to the heart of the African continent, he gradually becomes obsessed by this enigmatic, wraith-like figure. Marlow's discovery of how Kurtz has gained his position of power over the local people involves him in a radical questioning, not only of his own nature and vaules, but those of Western civilization. A haunting and hugely influential Modernist masterpiece, Heart of Darkness (1899) explores the limits of human experience as well as the nightmarish realities of imperialism.
Before I start I just want to say that, even though I've read and reviewed a lot of fantasy since I started this blog, I've always loved Classics. Seriously, until I started university I read more classics than anything else. I read old books usually out of curiousity, because I want to know why they are classics and why they are so loved. Usually I end up loving them too. Just not 'Heart of Darkness'. I've really stalled in writing this review, because I just did not get into the text.
'Heart of Darkness' is supposed to be a short text. It's ninety seven pages seemed to me more like nine hundred. I know it is a modernist work, and this was my first modernist read I expected some problems early one. I mean really the secret to reading older books is to just stick with it until you get a grip on the prose. Now, I'm not saying Conrad's prose is bad. At times it is beautiful and insightful but it is damned hard to follow. It's one of those books that you really should read fast, perferably in one sitting. Hardly any of the characters have names. Usually Marlow, the narrator (actually he's like a narrator narrating to the unnamed narrator of the novel), provides basic information of the people he meets - such as their role. He then goes on the refer to them by their role e.g. the manager, but weirdly this can change in an instant, and suddenly I'd find myself scrambling to figure out what has just happened because I couldn't fathom who was talking or doing something. I would figure it out eventually, but it would have been great if some of these characters had names.
Why do I think people love this book? This is the question for me when reading books like this. I think it is seen as a classic because Marlow looks into the darkness of colonization, and humanity in general. I think that this was the only saving part of the text for me. Marlow is a witness to the brutality. He is also a victim to Kurtz's power and power in general. Marlow becomes more and more conflicted by the awful things he sees and his own, more innocent morals. I won't spoil how this works out in the end for anyone who hasn't read it. Personally I am still thinking about the text a few weeks later - it is one of those books that does stay with you. My edition also came with Conrad's Congo Dairies - to be honest I was hoping to see if Kurtz was real. The diary only really goes into the first chapter of the text and therefore is a bit disappointing.
I believe that, despite the hard to follow prose, it is a book worth reading. There is a surprising twist at the end of the second chapter that really makes the book worthwhile. Even though I found it a challenging read, overall I feel like overtime it could grow on me if that makes sense. I think it is a book that you really have to try to think about and engage with - which is a double edged sword to me. Good plot, over the top prose with few names or things to plant the reader firmly in the story.
As with 'Daughter of the Blood' I read this book for the first time a couple of years ago, and so I'm not really reviewing it based on first impressions. I've re-read it once, and did enjoy it a second time though, but that was a while ago as well. In this review I am assuming that anyone who reads this has read 'Daughter of the Blood'.
'Heir to the Shadows' is the second book in the Black Jewels series - and at the time it was written it was intended as the second book in a trilogy. It continues on the story from 'Daughter of the Blood' in the aftermath of Jaenelle's rape and Daemon's slip into the Twisted Kingdom. It begins by establishing that Jaenelle has been in a coma for some time, and Daemon's mental state is fully revealed early on. In a way the book can be separated into two parts. The first part of the book deals with the direct aftermath, and also how Saetan takes on the role he has waited thousands of years for - being Witch's father. The second part deals with Lucivar and his plight as a prisoner sentenced to death by decline. I think this book is refreshing in the sense that Lucivar and Saetan really shine here - whereas 'Daughter of the Blood' spent a lot of time with Daemon.
'Heir to the Shadows' is an enjoyable read, but to me, it lacks the action of the first book. It is more of a in-between book, where important things happen, but mostly it operates as a general fleshing out of the cast and characters. We meet a lot of new people here, and find out a lot more about the Realms. Characters like Jaenelle benefit from the respite the book provides - by the end of the novel we know a lot more about her, and why she makes the decisions she does. This contrasts with the first novel, because her actions there were not as well defined, or indeed explained.
Sometimes it seems to go too fast - for instance the cast expands rapidly, and at one point it happens within the space of a paragraph. Mostly the newbies are just names, and are never seen again or they get mentioned briefly and the reader is expected to know them. If you've ever read 'Queen of the Damned' by Anne Rice that is the kind of thing that happens here. Some of the names amount to cameos in 'Heir' and elsewhere. In terms of the world building this book is a step forward - we find out about the Blood's origins, as well as the extent to which the Blood exists and works with other types of people - basically, and this is a mini-spoiler, we meet the Kindred.
The humour increases in this book, and in a way it is more lighthearted that either 'Daughter of the Blood' or 'Queen of the Darkness'. 'Heir to the Shadows' is more fun and more about new beginnings and family than either of the other two. It lacks some of the big drama, but there are dramatic moments. There are moments when you feel nervous for the characters, and when you feel their anger and sadness too. There are a few more time skips in this novel. None of them are as drastic as the one in the first novel, but still it feels sometimes like you are reading a detailed summary. That isn't a criticism per say, because I think one of the selling points of the Black Jewels books is that the reader is always left wanting more.
In conclusion, I do recommend 'Heir to the Shadows' to people who have read and enjoyed the first instalment of the Black Jewels books. My only real problem with the text is that it seems too short - a lot of the later books (outside the trilogy) really refer to stuff that happen around the time of this book, but aren't revealed until much later. 'Heir to the Shadows' is a bit like an interlude and is more about story building than either of the other two books in the initial trilogy. I think that potential readers should be aware of 'Dreams Made Flesh' and perhaps have a copy handy, but don't read the very last story until after you finish the trilogy. Furthermore, the short story Zuulaman really explains why Saetan let Daemon and Lucivar get taken away from him. He actually refers to that story in the middle of 'Heir to the Shadows' - but it is a vague mention which I feel should have been explained here rather than later on.
Angels and Airwaves (AVA) is the super-group
founded by Blink 182’s Tom DeLonge.Other current members include David Kennedy (Box Car Racer), former 30
Seconds to Mars guitarist Matt Watcher and Ilan Rubin from Nine Inch
Nails.When ‘We Don’t need to Whisper
came out they had a slightly different line up – with Ryan Sinn on bass and
Atom Willard (The Offspring) on drums.Angels
and Airwaves is more of multimedia project – they have released several films
based around the albums – than a traditional band.
(Start the Machine)
‘We Don’t Need to Whisper’ was
released in 2006 and is the bands first work.I first heard it a year later,
because I liked a single from their then soon to be released second album ‘I
Empire’.I suppose the best way to
describe how AVA sound on ‘We Don’t need to Whisper’ is spacey alternative
rock.Their music is very uplifting, and
I’ve always liked how it is both exciting and relaxing at the same time.I found Angels and Airwaves refreshing,
because at the time a lot of rock acts were writing dark, emotionally charged
works.I also fell in love with this
album because it tells a story – it’s not just about creating hit singles.‘We Don’t need to Whisper’ is concise, and conveys
the story of two people falling in love in the middle of a war.There are no names given to the characters,
but it is evident that there is a narrative in play for example in
‘Distraction’
My favourite song is ‘Start the
Machine’ because it is climax of the album, and is quite unique in the sense
that the opening features the use of a piano for children.The lyrics are about the human cost of war –
such as children – and how the characters won’t give up with their lives just
because of the war.At least I think
so... Angles and Airwaves leave a lot to be interpreted.Which is as the Americans would say is ‘awesome’.
‘We Don’t need to Whisper’ is a
strong album, and a good introduction to Angels and Airwaves.In my opinion it is an okay album, but is not
as good as some of their more recent records.
Like I said in my 'A Classics Challenge' post, I don't want to overdo the challenges I sign up for next year. Butthis challenge is totally different.This challenge is a work of genius. I, like so many others love the Discworld to bits. I like to read other stuff too, butI seriously have not gone a year without some Discworld since I learnt about them. I can hardly go half a year, let alone a year. I just love the Discworld so much. I actually went through my library's collection in the space of a summer.
I always keep three/four Discworld novels around in case I need them. I currently have - Thud!, Guards! Guards!, Carpe Jugulum, and Equal Rites on my To Be Read pile. I also want to get The Wee Free Men somehow, and probably Snuff too - but I'm not much of a fan of the Watch books.
I found out about this challenge through The Written Word. It is hosted by Once Upon a Time. As you can tell I am really excited. Probably too excited. I can't wait for this to start, so that I can get to reading, but also because it will be great to take part with a group, because I'll get to read what other people think of the books and it will be a bit like a community (hopefully).
In a sense this is a review in retrospect because I read this over a year ago, and then earlier this year. 'Daughter of the Blood' is the first novel in the Black Jewels Trilogy. It is set in a magical world known as the realms, which is composed of three parts. It primarily follows three men - Saetan, Lucivar and Daemon- as they discover a young girl named Jaenelle who is Dreams made Flesh and basically has been created to save 'The Blood' aka the magical people, from self destruction.
It's one of those books that is a bit hard to explain but it comes under the genre of Dark Fantasy.
'Daughter of the Blood' is a very original book, like the rest of the series. It has everything from talking unicorns to the undead. It is also not a book I would recommend for younger readers, because it is extremely violent, in more ways than one if you get my meaning. The characters are probably the biggest selling point for me. I think that they are great, and they all stand on their own. They think in a different way to most other characters that I've read - they are both violent and loving, lost and hopeful, caring and bitter.
I would say to a certain extent that The Black Jewels Trilogy (and the later books) are both some of my favourite books and also my guilty pleasures. The prose is not the best ever. Certain characters are explained with stock phrases all the time that never change. For example Luicivar has a lazy, arrogant smile. Whenever I read that I call it the Lazy Comma Arrogant. Daemon and Saetan have a habit of asking questions 'too softly' when they are angry. Usually these questions are mundane. But I actually find it amusing and quite charming that these phrases are used.
'Daughter of the Blood' is very action packed. It is also very sad. As a series opener it is great. I don't want to spoil too much here, but basically the three mains discover Jaenelle in their own way and time, and because of the evil powers that be they have to protect her. Unfortunately, they are limited (sometimes because Jaenelle deliberately limits them) and can't protect her from awful mental and sexual abuse. Throughout the book Saetan and Daemon gradually discover the harrowing truth that Jaenelle has been hiding from them, and the last hundred pages really keep you on the edge of your seat. I just couldn't believe it was happening.
I would recommend buying the omnibus version of the Black Jewels Trilogy, because then you can go straight into the second novel 'Heir to the Shadows'. Trust me if you liked 'Daughter of the Blood' you will want to read the next one soon after.
Earlier today I watched Glee, and for the first time ever it actually helped me discover an artist/song that I think is really good. I love Glee - but usually they don't do the type of music I personally enjoy, and so this came as a bit of a surprise. What's even more surprising is that this band is on Fueled by Ramen, a channel to which I am subscribed to on Youtube.
Without further adieu here's Fun:
The video is super creepy, but not in a Lady Gaga kind of way. The song is a real feel good, sing along, fist-pumping rock anthem.
I've decided to do the 'A Classics Challenge' next year. I'm new to blogging, so I hope I've not taken on more that I can handle with it. I also want to do the 'Once Upon A Time' and the R.I.P challenges so hopefully I'll manage to get them done. It all sounds fun.
'A Classics Challengle' is where you read seven classic books throughout the year. You are also given the option of answering a prompt once a month to further enrich the challenge.
I've not fully decided what I'm going to pick for my seven but at the moment here are the ones I would like to read
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair - I want to read this because I tried to a few years ago, but found it too depressing. I'd like to get through it so that my mam will stop saying I couldn't do it.
Dracula by Bram Stoker- I want to read this because I've just always wanted to but never got around to it. Sometimes I pretend I have though (naughty me).
Frankenstein - Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley - I've wanted to read this for a while now, because of how many read it as a warning on the perils of science.
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky - I've read a lot of this before, but it was a library book and it started falling apart so I want to finish it. And also I liked where it was going with how crime is awful, but also has an element of elitism.
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy - Some would say that this is the heaviest hitter of the heavy hitters. I've wanted to read it since I read Anna Karenina.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll - it sounds like fun, which I'll need after getting/failing to get through the depressing lot I've selected.
A Surprise book! I haven't decided yet. I want to see how it goes. I know I'm cheating a bit some of the best books I've read were bought and read on impulse.
Marian Keyes is quoted on the back of 'The Help' stating 'Daring, vitally important and very courageous. I loved and admired The Help. Fantastic.' In my opinion this hits the nail on the head. 'The Help' is an important book, written about a forgotten time that shouldn't be forgotten. It follows the story of three women, two of them black maids (Aibileen and Minny), the other a young wealthy white woman (Miss Skeeter), living in Jackson, Mississippi as they write a collection of memoirs from black maids in the area. I thought the narraitive was very clever in a way because Stockett manages to illustrate the risk these women are taking and the world that these women live in without having her credibility question. To clarify on this, I think that obviously Stockett couldn't write a book of memoirs of a group of maids in the 1960s because that would be fiction, so instead she writes a book about how a person would have gone about writing a book during that time. I know I'm not explaining it all that well, but I'll just say this - she really pulls it off.
I don't usually read books like this one. If I do read a book that is about important issues such as race I usually read older books like 'To Kill a Mockingbird' or 'The Adeventures of Huckelberry Finn'. So I was a bit apprehensive. A film version of this text came out a few months ago, and I'd seen that it got really good reviews, but I have not seen the film. In a way I'm glad that I have yet to see it, because I liked going into the book without knowing much. One of the things I really liked about this book was how events would happen that were really unexpected. For example the story of Constantine. I won't spoil it for those that have yet to read it, but lets just say that there is a lot to her story.
'The Help' is a novel with a lot of heart. As a reader you end up supporting the maids (naturally in this day and age) but also seeing that the bond that exists between them and their white ladies can be one of loyalty and love. The characters are very alive and thought out. Even characters that are the villians of the book have their good points - Hilly for instance is a good mother, but an awful person overall who encourages racial segergation and threatens anyone who doesn't agree.
The only problems I had with the text were some of the grammatical/factual mistakes. Early on I found it hard to figure out Minny's age - later it is established that she is thirty six at the beginning of the novel, but it is also stated early on that she is thirty four. I found that a bit confusing. I also found the situation of Yule May a bit confusing. ***Spoiler Alert*** Why was everyone the reader was supposed to support so angry over Hilly's reaction to Yule May stealing her stuff? I agree that Hilly over-reacted, and Yule May should not have had to go to jail for that long, but she did steal something that she thought was valuable. Also couldn't she have sent one of her sons that year, and save up the very small amount she had left to save for the other one the go the next? I know that Hilly was crazy, but she did not have to give Yule May a loan, and stealing is not okay no matter what your race or the value of the object. ***Spoiler Over***
The prose was very good but a bit hard to get into at first because of how the novel chopped from one narrator to another. But after a while I got used to it and would look forward to reading from Minny's, Aibileen's and Skeeter's point of views in turn. I enjoyed 'The Help' a lot more than I expected to. It was one of the fastest reads I'd had all year and I stayed up late to read further on. It was hard to put down. It is a feel good novel, but (and this is what I really loved about it) it is also realistic. The ending is bittersweet. I felt like crying, but at the same time I knew that everything would be okay for all three women, that they had gotten to a point in each of their lives where they were strong enough to go it alone.
To be more precise then the title allows, I love the album 'Santi' by The Academy Is.... It wasn't a very well recieved album by the critcs but I have always loved it. I think it is better then many people give it credit for.
This is supposed to be a short post so all I'll say is listen to this song, if you like sad songs you might love this:
'Santi' is a lot like the song above, and the lyrics aren't as dare I say as Fall Out Boy ( I love FOB but one of them was enough) as the stuff that came before this. To me 'Everything we had' sounds like the moment the penny drops or the world falls out from under someone. The lyrics just seem to resonate for some reason.
FYI the Academy Is... has broken up now, but they were on the Fueled by Ramen label - the one that brought the world Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heros, Panic at the Disco, Hey Monday and Paramore. I pretty much worshiped FbR when I was younger. It had many good poppy-punkish bands on it, and probably still does, only I'm not as into that stuff anymore.
A MAN WITH NO
EYES.NO EYES AT ALL.TWO TUNNES IN HIS HEAD...
Somewhere – some
time – there’s a tangled ball of evil and spite, of hatred and malice, that has
woken up.
And it’s waking
up all the old stories too – stories about evil old withces....
‘I Shall Wear Midnight’ is the thirty eight novel in the Discworld
series.It is set on the Discworld,
which is basically a disc supported by a bunch of elephants, on the back of a
giant turtle.It is clearly a fantasy
series, and a very funny one at that.In
many ways in is a satire of the fantasy genre, especailly in the early
books.‘I Shall Wear Midnight’ is one of
the Discworld novels that are for a younger audience, but many fully grown fans
think the books for younger readers are just as good as the normal ones.This novel follows the character of Tiffany
Aching, a sixteen year old witch who has featured in three prior novels. Even
though this book, like the rest of the Discworld series can be read out of
order or on its own, it helps to have read the earlier instalments pertaining
to her.
I am lost for words at what to say about ‘I Shall Wear Midnight’. I love the Discworld novels, they are always
funny but also make me think about how I see things around me.Sir Terry Pratchett has this amazing ability
to make people happy through his books, while also telling more truth in his
works than most authors can get away with.‘I Shall Wear Midnight’ is one of those novels that does an especially
good job at it.It is sad and at times
frightening, but not in a gory, cheap way.This novel begins with the deaths of two people – an old man and a
newborn baby. The first from old age,
the other because a young woman’s father beats her half to death causing her to
lose her baby.Tiffany has to deal with
both, in her line of work as a witch.She also has to deal with prejudice, and the impact it can have on people’s
lives.She reflects over the human cost
of hate – an old woman was killed years ago for looking like a witch.The
enemy Tiffany faces this time is not one that she can destroy – instead she can
only get rid of the Cunning Man for a short period of time.He basically is hate.
Despite all the
above, ‘I Shall Wear Midnight’ is also a very sweet and fun book.One of the themes of the novel is that of
self-fulfillment 'Ye know full well that the meaning
of life is to find your gift.To find
your gift is happiness.Never tae find
it is a misery.'Jeannie.Happiness
is a subject that is explored, and not to spoil too much for anyone, but
Tiffany learns that she has to know herself and trust herself in order to
succeed.Additionally, the Nac Mac
Feegles are back, and as always they are hilarious.But, like the rest of the novel, the reader
gets to see a little bit under their skin which in a sense makes them more
real, and funnier.The prose is very
electric, and at times very touching.To
quote the Daily Telegraph at the back of the book ‘A passion for language, wordplay, and puns bursts from the pages’.
‘I Shall Wear Midnight’ was a novel
that I had wanted to read for a while, and in a way dreaded reading.I love all the ‘witches’ books that I have
read in the Discworld series, and am not ashamed to say that I am attached to
the characters.I knew that this was
potentially the last book that features these characters and I think the ending
made it clear that Tiffany Aching will not feature in a Discworld novel
again.I found it an emotional book, but
also a very wise and honest one.I would
recommend this to anyone, because it is just brilliant.Dare I say a masterpiece?
Seeing as Halloween
is just days away, I figured I’d talk about how much I love this time of the
year.Since I was little I’ve always
been interested in everything to do with Halloween.As a child I remember finding out about the
cultural significance of Halloween through TV and books.I remember being beyond happy when I found
out that I lived in one of the countries where the celebration of Halloween
began: Ireland.The ancient Celts
worshiped pagan gods, and followed a calendar based on the way the world
interacted with the sun and the stars.Religious holidays and festivals were based around solstices, or the
coming and going of seasons.
To the Celts,
Halloween was known as Samhain.It was
their version of the New Year, and as such it had a profound impact of the
world around them.It was such an ingrained holiday to the Celtic
peoples that the Catholic Church had to adapt around it in certain
countries.Thus, Halloween became part
of a larger tradition, and is a day before All Souls day.Growing up in Ireland, I, like most Irish
children, learnt how to talk about Halloween in Irish.I was never great at learning languages, but
I always liked it when it had to do when it was something fun like Halloween.
I think Halloween is
as big as it is today because of American commercialism.It has become a mixture of several holidays,
such as the Mexican Day of the Dead.Companies make a lot of money off of decorations, sweets and costumes at
this time of the year.However, I don’t necessarily
think that that is a bad thing.Neither
do I think that that is all there is to it.I think people love Halloween because it allows children and adults
alike to share in the fantastical.It is
the idea that you can dress up and be someone different for a night. Also, I think there is playfulness in the idea
that monsters and ghouls might be walking about that people just love.
Most importantly, I
think there is just something that can’t be described about the atmosphere at this
time of the year.It’s like we can feel
change is in the air, and yet somewhere deep inside we know that this change
isn’t very scary.Winter will come and
go. Perhaps we parody our inbuilt fear of
change to reassure ourselves that things will remain the same.Life will go on.
Nowadays, both Wiccans
and Pagans still celebrate Samhain in a religious sense.I feel that this is something that is ignored
by the larger media.To some, Halloween
is not just a time for dressing up.It
is a time to thank the world/universe.I
won’t pretend to understand the larger concepts behind these religious
movements, but I do think it is interesting.It is a time to leave behind the past, and move into a new period.I think above all else, people should
respect that there is something more to this holiday for many different groups
of people, past and present.Like a good book, Halloween cannot be judged
by its cover.
(All images taken from weheartit.com sorry if I've infringed, but they are really pretty)
I would have put an exclamation
mark after the last statement, only by the time this post goes up most people
who know about the Stone Roses, will know that they are back together.It’s been all over YouTube and
everything.So this isn’t really news
anymore.If this is news to you then wow
cool that you found out here on my little blog.That’s a joke FYI.
The Stone Roses were
a rock group, formed in Manchester in the eighties.They came to prominence in the UK around 1989
– the year they released their self-titled debut album.The album contained hits such as ‘I Wanna be
Adored’ and ‘Fools Gold’.It coincided
with the rise of the’ baggy’ indie rock/dance scene and so is seen as a
standout from that genre.Their second
album ‘The Second Coming’ came out a few years later, and isn’t as much the
darling of the music critics.The band
frequently gave amusing (though often very topical and interesting) interviews
later emulated by the likes of the Gallagher brothers of Oasis (who openly
adore the Stone Roses).
I’m not writing this
blog post as a news item though, more of an ‘I’m so excited I might as well’
post’.Honestly, I’m thrilled that they
are back together after all those years.I’ve been a fan for over five
years, and over that course of time have read many interviews with various members
where they said they never would, despite the money. I accepted what was said, and so got into the other groups associated with the Stone Roses such as The Happy Mondays and Primal Scream.
So I’m really
glad.Even though it looks like all the
shows they are going to do will sell out in minutes.Which makes the chances of me going rather
small, but still, I hope I get a chance to see them live.Either way it will certainly be
legendary.
‘You and I’ is the
fourth and latest release from the Pierces.For those that do not know about
the Pierces, they are a duo, made up of two sisters called Allison and Catherine Pierce.They hail from the USA and make interesting folksy-poppy
music as far as I can tell.I’m a new
fan, and have only really heard this album, but sometimes that is all you need
to know.
‘You and I’ is a sweet, energetic album.From the other reviews I have read (Q
magazine eons ago) their sound has been linked to hippies and witchcraft and all
that stuff.I think the album has something psychedelic
about it, but I think that that has more to do with the way the sisters use old
school harmonies when they sing than anything else.The harmonies are beautifully done, and seem
effortless.
The instrumentals in ‘You and I’ are also really
nice.The guitars are kind of jangly and
the overall atmosphere created by the different instruments is bluesy but fun. There is softness to the music, and the lyrics
range from the sad ‘The Good Samaritan’ to the playful ‘You’ll be Mine’.
My personal favourite
song is ‘Close My Eyes’
Overall I really like
this album, and it is one that I will probably listen to for a long time to
come.
"The fifth volume in the greatest epic work of the modern age.
The future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance.
In the east, Daenerys, last scion of House Targaryen, her dragons grown to terrifying maturity, rules as queen of a city built on dust and death, beset by enemies.
Now that her whereabouts are known many are seeking Daenerys and her dragons. Among them the dwarf, Tyrion Lannister, who has escaped King's Landing with a price on his head, wrongfully condemned to death for the murder of his nephew, King Joffery. But not before killing his hated father, Lord Tywin.
To the north lies the great Wall of ice and stone - a structure only as strong as those guarding it. Eddard Stark's bastard son Jon Snow has been elected the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, but he has enemies both in the Watch and beyond the Wall, where the wildling armies are massing for an assault.
On all sides bitter conflicts are reigniting, played out by a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves. The tides of destiny will inevitably lead to the greatest dance of all... "
Review: A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
I don't really know what to say about 'A Dance with Dragons' other than that it was an amazing read. As a newish fan, I had only been anticipating the book for a year, but still the wait was worth it. For those that don't know 'A Dance with Dragons' is the fifth book in the fantasy series 'A Song of Ice and Fire'. It centres around a lot of characters, spread out across the fictional world of the books, but focused mainly on a place called Westeros. The fifth book continues the stories of the characters of the north - such as Jon Snow as he comes to terms with leading the Night's Watch - and across the sea - such as Daenerys as she debates her honor as the Queen of Meereen. It also follows the larger story of Westeros - the continuing war for power that involves almost everybody on some level.
Oh, and 'Winter is Coming' has taken on a literal meaning, which leads to some of the most beautiful and engrossing description I have read in fantasy. For instance 'Under the snow lay grey ash and cinders, and here and there a blackened beam or a pile of bones adorned with scraps of skin and hair. Icicles long as lances hung from the battlements and fringed the towers like an old man's stiff white whiskers. But inside the godswood, the ground remained unfrozen, and steam rose off the hot pools, as warm as baby's breath'. (The Prince of Winterfell, p 486)Another line I loved, and noticed throughout the book was 'The Night is dark and full of terrors'. For me the book was very easy to read and really pulled me in from the beginning. The quailty of the writing and development of the characters was something that I expected from the previous books, but I think it is fair to say that 'A Dance with Dragons' raised the standard yet again. Additionally, I enjoyed how the book changed my perception of certain characters such as Reek/Theon. I hated him before this book, but found myself skiping forward to read his chapters, and hoping against hope that somehow he would escape and survive.
In conclusion, I would say that anyone who is interested in fantasy should defo read 'A Song of Ice of Fire'. 'A Dance with Dragons' is a great read, though very long - it is 959 pages in hardback. The only criticism that I can make is that certain POVs popped up too much with very little action happening to justify them. However, I can see why in cases such as Daenerys, that this was neccessory for her development. It is certainly worth the price of hardback books as it is extremely enjoyable - and as a fan of the series it offers some really big reveals that I don't think should be missed. Also, it sheds more light on past events, while creating more mysteries and and questions for the reader.
One thing that has occured to me since I started this blog is that I don't just want it to be about books. I love books and all, but I'm a really slow reader. For example, I've been reading one book for the bones of two months now, and I'm not finished it yet. I love reading in that way. I like to digest a novel, and associate it with a certain point in my life. It becomes part of my memories of a certain summer, or christmas or spring. Obviously though, if this blog were to be only about books then I'd not have much to post or talk about. I feel like it would be kind of cheating to review a book that I haven't read recently as well. So, I have decided to talk about the other things that I am passionate about as well, be it music, or animal rights, TV or whatever else comes to mind.
Today I'm going to talk about a band that I love, called the Vines. The Vines are an Austrailian band, comprised of lead singer Craig Nicholls (who also plays guitar), guitarist Ryan Griffiths, drummer Hammish Rosser and bass player Brad Heald. I got into their music about... four or five years ago. As far as I know they have released five albums. My favourite albums are the first three, called 'Highly Evolved', 'Winning Days' and 'Vision Valley'.
'Highly Evolved' came out in the early 2000s, around the same time as bands such as the Strokes were debuting as well. The album to me always seemed very punky without really being punk. It is an album best played LOUD. The above is the title track, and even though it is only nintey seconds long, it shows the heavyness of the band. However, like many other Vines albums, some of the songs are ballad like and softer. For instance 'Autumn Shade':
Personally, I've always preferred the quieter songs such as this one. To me, they are like little bits of gold found at the bottom of a fast stream.
The next album, 'Winning Days' contains the second part to Autumn Shade - which I think is one of the Vines best songs.
'Winning Days' is a softer album than the first, with lovely tracks such a 'Sun Child' and the title track itself, which in my opinion is heartbreakingly bittersweet. It also contains some upbeat songs such as 'Ride' which are really fun to listen to.
The final album that I am going to talk about is 'Vision Valley'. This was the album which got me into their music. The music is a little bit less punky, a little more classic rock and roll. For example, 'Don't listen to the Radio' is more laid back than previous singles, though still very much one of the rockier songs on the album.
My personal favourite song by them is the title track 'Vision Valley'. As a listener the song is calming and the lyrics are very touching and pensive.
Anyways, that's the review part over I guess. I'm not very good at describing songs and sounds lol so anyone who reads this will have to forgive me. I'm not even very good with band or track names - I prefer to know as little as possible, and have been known to refer to songs as 'track four' or an imagined name. Anyone interested in the Vines should also check out the later albums naturally as well. They are also very good. Here's the title track of their latest album: Future Primative. It sounds like this should be on a soundtrack to a movie - which is good by me because I really like soundtrack music and music that ties in with a story in general.
Before I start I just have to say that this is an ironic post. I knew about blogs, but I only started really getting into them when I googled for early reviews of this book. So in a way this is the book that started this blog. 
