Tag: English

Books

Book 4: The Assassin’s Edge – Juliet E. McKenna

Geoff W

This was a satisfying end to the series. Although as predicted she was a bit rushed to wrap everything up from the past four novels, the ending left a smile on my face and sad that there wasn’t more to the story.

The plot was a bit scattered and, as with the fourth book, seemed a bit drawn out. If I had to guess her first two books sold well enough that the publisher wanted her to stretch the series out to five and she’d only planned a trilogy or quadrilogy at first and had to add in the extra book/book and a half. There were occasions where the book repeated itself, not just from within the entire series, but from a few pages earlier, and that’s an editing problem. The only other wearying aspect of the novel were her attempts to describe battles, a few of the attempts were spot on, but others the descriptions got a bit unwieldy and left me confused about those involved and what was happening.

I’m definitely glad I finished the series as once I re-read the first novel I realised I never found out what happened with some of the characters. I did find out that she’s written two others series (both trilogies I believe) that exist in various lands that the characters visit throughout this series. I won’t go out of my way to read them, but if I see them at a used bookshop or remember her name in the library I’ll definitely check them out.

Books

Book 3: The Warrior’s Bond – Juliet E. McKenna

Geoff W

Although familiar with Juliet E. McKenna’s Tales of Einarinn, I hadn’t read any since High School. I read the first three (The Thief’s Gamble, The Swordsman’s Oath, and The Gambler’s Fortune) but the final two in the series had not been completed. While I was at home in April I found the original three and wanted to reread them to complete the series. I reread them and it lead me to The Warrior’s Bond.

Although an intriguing novel, there was nothing so special as to raise it above all the other fantasy novels that are out there. This novel specifically dealt more with politics and courtly intrigue within the nobility of Einarinn, rather than the Artifice of the forgotten/exiled Elietimm or the magic of the mages of Hadrumal.

I won’t bore you with long drawn out details, but I did enjoy the book. It was a bit of a stretch (thank you fantasy publishers), as this book and the last book played out at the same time, but in different areas. Livak, one of the main characters (if not the main character of the series), was completely absent, but Ryshad was there who was the Swordsman in book two. It was nice to see that McKenna can handle the politics and intrigue of her imagined world, as well as the magic and the geography.

I will end with an appreciation and a concern. I enjoy the fact that McKenna divides magic into Elemental, the magic of earth, air, fire and water, and Artifice, the magic of healing and mind. This however leads to concerns for the final novel in the series. Each novel previously has wrapped up their story lines in such a way as to stand on it’s own, but hint at other happenings. With only one novel left I am concerned that she may be rushed to wrap up everything, hover the novel is roughly the same size as the others and we shall soon see.

Book Group, Books

Book 1: White Teeth – Zadie Smith

Geoff W

White Teeth was a much more interesting read than I thought it would be. It was originally selected as one of the book group books for our AmeriCorps book group, but that sort of fell to the wayside a few months ago and I’d already purchased it.

As I was reading the book it constantly reminded me of little things in England, from mentioning my Uni (Leeds) to some of the towns and places I’d visited to foods and colloquialisms, and I think this made it much easier to read and more enjoyable than I thought it would be. Last year I attempted to read On Beauty, also by Zadie Smith, and couldn’t get through the first chapter.

Overall, the book itself was much easier to read and much more enjoyable than I first expected it to be. I attempted to read On Beauty, also by Zadie Smith, last year and couldn’t get past the first chapter. I believe a large portion of my enjoyment of this book were the title chapters, they clearly connected the title to the rest of the book, even if sometimes I kept wondering why the book was titled such.

Click here to continue reading.

Quotes

Quotes from A Single Man – Christopher Isherwood

Geoff W

“With that body which sprawled stark naked, gaping wide in shameless demand, underneath Jim’s nude body? Gross in sucking vulva, sly truthless greedy flesh, in all the bloom and gloss and arrogant resilience of youth, demanding that George shall step aside, bow down and yield to the female prerogative, hide his unnatural head in shame. I am Doris. I am woman. I am Bitch. Mother. Nature. The Church and the Law and the State exist to support me. I claim my biological rights.” – 95-96

“He pictures the evening he might have spent, snugly at home, fixing the food he has bought, then lying down on the couch beside the bookcase and reading himself slowly sleepy. At first glance this is an absolutely convincing and charming scene of domestic contentment. Only after a few instants does George notice the omission that makes it meaningless. What is left out of the picture is Jim lying opposite him at the other end of the couch, also reading; the two of them absorbed in their books yet so completely aware of each others’ presence.” – 114-115

“Thinking what an absurd and universally accepted bit of nonsense it is that your best friends must necessarily be the ones who best understand you. As if there weren’t far too much understanding in the world already; above all, that understanding between lovers, celebrated in song and story, which is actually such torture that no two of them can bear it without frequent separations or fights.” – 122-123

“As for Geo, these waves are much too big for him. They seem truly tremendous, towering up, blackness unrolling itself out of blackness, mysteriously and awfully sparkling, then curing over in a thundering slap of foam which is sparked with phosphorus.” – 162

“I’m like a book you have to read. A book can’t read itself to you. It doesn’t even know what it’s about. I don’t know what I’m about.” – 176

Quotes

Quotes from The Well of Loneliness – Radclyffe Hall

Geoff W

“The subtlety, the craftiness of that question which in common decency could have but one answer! Oh, well, she had gone and would go even farther. Raftery was dead, there was nothing to hold her, she was free–what a terrible thing could be freedom. Trees were free when they were uprooted by the wind; ships were free when they were torn from their moorings; men were free when they were cast out of their homes–free to starve, free to perish of cold and hunger.” – 234-235

“And now quite often while she waited at the stations for the wounded, she would see unmistakable figures–unmistakable to her they would be at first sight, she would single them out of the crowd as by instinct. For as though gaining courage from the terror that is war, many a one who was even as Stephen, had crept out of her hole and come into the daylight, come into the daylight and faced her country: ‘Well, here I am, will you take me or leave me?’ And England had taken her, asking no questions–she was strong and efficient, she could fill a man’s place, she could organize too, given scope for her talent. England had said: ‘Thank you very much. you’re just what we happened to want…at the moment’.” – 270-271

“Our love may be faithful even unto death and beyond–yet the world will call it unclean. We may harm no living creature by our love; we may grow more perfect in understanding and in charity because of our loving; but all this will not save you from the scourge of a world that will turn away its eyes from your noblest actions, finding only corruption and vileness in you. You will see men and women defiling each other, laying the burden of their sins upon their children. You will see unfaithfulness, lies and deceit among those whom the world views with approbation. You will find that many have grown hard of heart, have grown greedy, selfish, cruel and lustful; and then you will turn to me and will say: ‘You and I are more worthy of respect than these people. Why does the world persecute us, Stephen?’ And I shall answer: ‘Because in this world there is only toleration for the so-called normal’.” – 301

“Remembering Mary, remembering Morton, her pen covered sheet after sheet of paper; she wrote with the speed of true inspiration, and at times her work brushed the hem of greatness.” – 342

” ‘They are good, these doctors–some of them very good; they work hard trying to solve our problem, but half the time they must work in the dark–the whole truth is known only to the normal invert. The doctors cannot make the ignorant think, cannot hope to bring home the sufferings of millions; only one of ourselves can some day do that…It will need great courage but it will be done, because all things must work toward ultimate good; there is no real wastage and no destruction.’ He lit a cigarette and started thoughtfully at her for a moment or two. Then he touched her hand. ‘Do you comprehend? There is no destruction’.” – 390

“As for those who were ashamed to declare themselves, lying low for the sake of a peaceful existence, she utterly despised such of them as had brais; they were traitors to themselves and their fellows, she insisted. For the sooner the world came to realize that fine brains very frequently went with inversion, the sooner it would have to withdraw its ban, and the sooner would cease this persecution. Persecution was always a hideous thing, breeding hideous thoughts–and such thoughts were dangerous.” – 406-407