Book Review

A Case For Christianity, C.S. Lewis
I've been slack in book reviews lately. I've been rereading old favorites over the holiday season but just before that I was given a Lewis book that I didn't have. This is a very short "book" and what it is actually is the transcript of a radio interview he'd once given laying out the case for choosing Christianity to the atheist or agnostic.
Lewis had the gift for keeping the subject matter plain and simple without dismissing any of the complicated material. Just like I've described Mere Christianity as "Christianity 101" for new believers, under the guidance of a knowledgeable pastor, A Case For Christianity is one of the very best pro-conversion arguments put to paper. Direct and non combative, his dissertation challenges the reader to think, the mark of any great debate technique. Not for people who have no interest on an intellectual level.
It's not only a persuasive discussion for the non believers, but to those who have become disillusioned and backslidden over the years.
Yet another brilliant piece of writing from my favorite author! 

Book Review

Double Indemnity, James M. Cain

A crime noir book, short and quite old. Published as a book in 1943. My first impression was: well, that escalated quickly! Then I found out that it originally ran as a serial in a magazine in 1936, so the pacing was naturally hard and fast without much effort put into serious character development. The love affairs between the characters are largely implied as well to keep the action moving and, I assume, because anything more obvious in the 1930's would've been inappropriate. It's written in first person with a lot of the jargon of the time period laced in, which threw me a little at first. But, surprisingly, it all works. 

An insurance salesman plots with a woman to murder her husband and collect the money from his accident policy. They almost get away with it but,of course, they don't and the lesser used love quadrangle (as opposed to triangle) is employed to complicate the situation. 

I'd heard of this title for years and have seen some of the story parodied, so it was fun to see the source material in its original form. The fast movement of events made it a compelling read. I think it would've done well as a long form novel that went into greater detail.

Book Review

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clark
It took me longer than usual to get through this book because I've been on a mini reading burn-out. But I'm glad I saved it for last out of the stack of books I got last time because it was the best. I became interested when I saw previews for the miniseries it was adapted to for BBCA. I never saw any of that, but I knew this was exactly the sort of thing I'd like. I really loved it and I plan to reread it when I'm feeling more enthusiastic.

It's set at the turn of the 19th century in England and the premise is that English magic and magical influence has run dry since its golden years of the middle ages. All current magicians are theoretical magicians and they behave as academics of all ages, publishing papers on the subject without practical experience or knowhow. Two practicing magicians are foretold to restore English magic, the titular characters, but it doesn't happen like any of them expect of course. The build up is slow and detailed. Norrell and Strange are introduced one at a time and the complexity of their relationship as well as the other characters' dynamics eat up the biggest portion of this lengthy book. The world building is subtle and blends the fictional elements with the actual historical events of the time period, utilizing Lord Wellington and King George along side the invented players and events. It's unique compared to other magical fantasy pieces in that it makes use of the Faerie world, which is something I've not seen much of in modern offerings. I don't know how this depiction of the Faerie compares with its common lore, but I know the impish, faerie antagonist is Satan incarnate and made the book a compelling page-turner. Another thing I loved was the footnotes. Normally footnotes are a headache but because these notes referenced fictitious people, places and books they became characters in the book themselves and a great way to fill in ancillary details without the characters having to give long-winded explanations or disrupting the narrative. I'm also pleased to report that my favorite character doesn't die and actually gets a better ending than the main protagonists who get an unexpectedly bittersweet ending.

I love it and recommend it! It's a grown up, well rounded tale that doesn't have to rely on too many action sequences to hold the reader's interest. 

Book Review

Amphigorey anthology, Edward Gorey and various authors.
I enjoyed looking through these and want to thank Jenny Magidson again for taking me down this delightfully strange rabbit hole. They're a collection of adult comic strips. Adult because the themes tend towards the macabre and disturbing. The grotesque and surreal illustrations put me in the mind of every Tim Burton movie I've seen and they appeal to my warped sense of humor. And they range from a story board with a coherent story to follow written in either prose or verse to a disjointed series of images that aren't necessarily related, or only vaguely so.

It's this strange style that really pulled me in and kept me interested. Especially the seemingly random entries. There were several in which the noun of each panel description corresponded to each letter of the alphabet just like a toddler's book. Or a series of random but not well known words. Or simply vignettes that portray a mood. Mostly melancholy moods, but I understood it on a subconscious level. I used to draw a lot as a kid in story board method and other experiments. It reminds me of how creative I used to be when I was young, with a sinister twist of course. But it inspires me to be creative again.

It's definitely not for everyone. If you're uncomfortable with suicidal inanimate objects, dark and tragic unrequited love stories, or children being eaten by a fictitious beast - I mean, the classic fairy tales in their original forms were equally weird and twisted when you think about it - or if you tend to take such things too seriously then it's probably not for you. I see it as pure entertainment and brain candy for curious minds.

Book Review

The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
I don't normally read something that could be classified as "romance" but the romance was sufficiently relegated to second place next to the plot. The synopsis actually drew me in on this one. It's the story of two magicians' students pitted against each other to the death who fall in love in spite of this circumstance. But it's not the epic sort of high fantasy battle that it sounds like. The writing focuses more on the characters than the mechanics of magic. The only spell that is detailed is the one that binds everyone to their contracts. After that it's more of vague but elegant backdrop. And it works well since the primary setting is a circus and the time period in which it takes place is the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There's no need for details to the magic, just the mood. You see that each student is trained differently as they grow up - one intellectually and one cruelly. The works they produce later are added to the layers of the circus which serves as the venue for their challenge.
It not only follows the lives of the two competitors, it skips ahead to track the movements of another character that would be important to the resolution at the end. I really liked that diversion from the main story. It was well constructed as the present caught up to the future in which that character is introduced. A nice touch.
It's a relaxing fantasy read without too much depth or intensity to weigh on the brain or exhaust you when it's finished. I'll reread it again some time and I definitely recommend it. 

Book Review

The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

It's a nice modern day fable. That is, written in the modern day - first published in English in 1993. But the setting of the story takes place sometime between the 16th and 19th centuries in Spain and North Africa which gives it the right ambiance for a classic fable. It follows a young, Spanish shepherd boy, probably in his mid to late teens as he is led by a dream and several people placed in his path by fate to go on a journey to find his "Personal Legend," which in this case is an actual treasure. Like all fables and classic fairy tales it conveys a lot of self-esteem boosting advice and layered life lessons in which not everything is as it seems. And what appears to be a simple straight forward journey turns into over a year of adventure and self discovery for the protagonist. I liked it a lot. It definitely makes you feel good and gives you positive things to ponder. Yes, he finds his Personal Legend but I won't spoil it. It wasn't the kind of ending I was expecting, I'll admit. 

It's a book suitable for all age groups but I can only recommend to those who are already secure in their religious beliefs. It makes use of a lot of biblical stories which I appreciate but it is not solid Christian teachings and could be confusing to a new or immature Christian. Or Muslim for that matter. The author himself is honest about his ecumenical beliefs and the trained eye can spot that sort of vapid new age spiritualism right away.

But that doesn't take away from the quality of a good, engaging story that has a lot of generalized good advice and motivational help. Definitely a keeper and a re-reader for me.

Book Review

Bambi, by Felix Salten
I gotta say.... This book was a total downer. If you enjoy reading books that make you cry, this is for you.

It's not just that Bambi's mother dies. Death seems to be a running theme throughout the book all the way to a random passage a third of the way through of two autumn leaves discussing the ravages of aging before they fall to their deaths from the tree. Obviously this is an anti-hunting book. That doesn't really surprise or bother me. The movie was the same. I love animals and understand the sad nature of the food chain; hunters actually have more respect for it than anyone. I'm just not into feeling guilty for existing. So, again, if you're into crying and assuming guilt trips on behalf of humanity, you'll really like this book. But it doesn't just beat up on mankind. There are also portraits painted of other natural predators in the wild as witness to the cruel lives that animals lead, continuing with the sorrowful tone. Personally, I think it even goes too far in its assessment of dogs and other livestock that serves mankind.
I think the author believed in God because His supremacy is asserted towards the end, but I don't know if he really knew God to have such a depressing outlook on that which is the cycle of life.

That's not to say that I didn't like the book. The prose is absolutely beautiful from beginning to end. The passage of the leaves is very powerful and stands out in my mind. The whole book is like that. And it's also a zoological study of deer. Even though they are anthropomorphic and talk, there's no letter writing or sword waving. Their behavior from being weaned from their mothers to rutting and mating is covered in a manner that adults recognize and that wouldn't confuse children. Although I don't think I'd read it to a kid. It seems too heavy even for children of the 1920s when it was published. I actually do recommend it for its classic value and beautiful writing. 

Book Review

Kazin's Quest, Carey Scheppner

First of The Dragonmage Trilogy, it's an enjoyable fantasy yarn. And I sincerely mean that. I just don't think this trilogy is for me.

It centers around a newly trained mage who by chance is turned into a Dragonmage, that is, he gains the ability to change into a dragon and back at will. He gathers a group of companions together to fulfill a prophecy and defeat a great necromancer. The Dragonmage aspect of it is actually a cool story by itself apart from all the rest and I don't think quite enough time is devoted to it. Instead it gets busy filling the world with a few too many different types of creatures for me to process. I'm all for a little variation from the standard fantasy formula of humans, elves, dwarves, wizards, and generic monstrosities like orcs. But including with these mermaids, zombies, centaurs, minotaurs, two races of upright reptilians - mages and archer warriors, pegasi, and a unicorn just seems to stretch the world a little thin and gives it a lack of depth.

I see it as being written for Dungeons and Dragons or video game players. The story plays out like like an average gamer campaign and the characters "level up" by finding special weapons and being suddenly positioned to acquire new skills. It ends up being a series of battle sequences into which most of the passionate writing is poured with the story being a relatively thin thread that ties them together with slightly juvenile humor. 

But I meant it when I said it had enjoyable aspects... Things that could have been fleshed out more thoroughly in their own separate stories. The concept of the Dragonmage was one but I also really liked the minotaur political structure and intrigue. The dwarves also had a uniqueness to them that felt lacking since they were also fairly typical. I'm actually not sure how to feel about a silly lovesick elf as opposed to the standard arrogant and dissociated kind in the prominent elf role, but these are certainly things worth exploring.

I absolutely recommend it for fans of this particular subset of fantasy genre. It's good, it's just not my favorite. 

Book Review

The Adventures of Sarah Ann Lewis and the Memory Thieves, Joshua C. Carroll

Yes I frequently browse YA fiction. That's where some of more original story ideas have been coming from for the last 20 years. This is a fairly new book too, just released last year. Like many other YA books it follows a "chosen one" type of base in a hidden world setting but this one also features blending genres. For example, A Wrinkle in Time blended sci-fi and religion/mythology. The original Pern trilogy infused science fiction into fantasy. Sarah and the Memory Thieves' plot attempts to tie together science fiction, fantasy, and varying supernatural/religion/mythological elements into its multiverse. It's a very tricky and ambitious project. It's a little unsettling to try to take in at first but the pacing helps smooth out the ride. And it's not a vehicle to bash humanity or be disrespectful towards religion. It's just the story of a girl who wants to help rescue her grandfather and discovers her place in the hidden organization by way of her family's involvement. She's thrust into a position of importance as the only person besides her father that can operate the portal to the multiverse that contains the different beings. It's simplified but explain in a way that feels plausible.

What's most fun about it is that it takes place in the 1980's. Technologies that sound like 3D printing and such are futuristic and the only phones she can find when the trouble starts are the one in her house that she can't enter and the one in a neighbor's house that she doesn't trust. The author sets up the forward to connect to the story to make it seem like he's relating real events, which is a creative twist I've always enjoyed.

I liked it. It's indicated that sequels will follow and I think I'll look out for them. It's not the best of the newer YA fiction I've ever read but it's intriguing I'd like to see how it fleshes out.

Book Review

The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster
One of these days I should compile a list of required reading for children. This would be right up there at the top of the list.
It is, in fact, a kid's book written in 1961. But like many classic children's literature, it's so much more. Often compared with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, I think it's actually better. It's much more clever and not a disturbing downer like Alice was. Then I learned it was written by the same guy that wrote one of my all time favorite stories from my childhood as animated by Looney Tunes - The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics and it all made sense. Oh, my heart! That explains why I found myself really enjoying it. The lessons aren't just for kids and the plot is surprisingly relevant to today. Especially to today, if you find yourself searching for Rhyme and Reason. If you've not read it since you were a child you should reread it. If you've not read it at all, I recommend it for adults as well as children. The wisdom is timeless. I can only hope it's not either too smart for modern kids or that modern kids think they're too smart for it. Adults as well. 

Book Review

The Three Musketeers, Alexander Dumas

Since The Count of Monte Cristo is in my top 10 favorite books, I always wanted to try this one to see if it would be just as good since it's so different. It certainly is! Dumas was a great storyteller. Not dark and tragic like Count, but adventurous and comic but without losing any dramatic tension.

I admit I don't know much about 17th century French history but I know that some of the characters were real with the circumstances around the historical events enhanced by inserted characters and the fictional main plot. Much like Shakespeare's historical dramas, but easier to read. The story is centered around a young man, D'Artagnan, who is fresh off the farm so to speak. He goes to Paris with the intent of joining the Musketeers and trouble follows him everywhere. Even his initial friendship with the three musketeers is a series of mistakes and misunderstandings. I don't know why the king's men fight constantly with the cardinal's men... that rivalry could probably be explained by some of the history I don't know but it doesn't even matter because it's fun. Much of the early chapters are just plain fun as the characters and their servants are introduced. The hot headed dueling and chest beating as well as their exploits with their various mistresses serve as the backdrop for exploring the characters' personalities. Once that's done they become entangled in the political intrigues of the historical characters which is the more intense portion of the novel. It ends with some exciting twists and revenge upon Milady Clarik who wasn't developed early on but who turned out to be a dark and wicked character indeed. I only would have liked to known the history a little better because I think it would've made the ending easier to understand. After all the conflict with the cardinal and his right hand man Rochefort there is a mutual respect won with them at the end for D'Artagnan that I found surprising. Not disagreeable, just not expected. Perhaps further development of the Rochefort character would've helped.

But no matter it was a great, fun book that is on my list of things to reread and my favorite character didn't die for a change. I wholeheartedly recommend it!

Book Review

The Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson

It's short and incomplete, but I was aware of that when I bought it. I don't think Jefferson was much interested in putting down his life's works for posterity. Perhaps if he'd started this memoir before the age of 77 he may have gotten more written. That's not to say I'm disappointed in any way though. I chose this edition instead of a biography because I simply don't trust authors to write about the founding fathers, Jefferson in particular, without heavy bias against them. Although I admit the biography I have of James Madison by Ralph Ketchum is pretty good. 

The cons include, as previously stated, that it's evident that Jefferson didn't care to write about himself. So there aren't a lot of details about his childhood and young life. He mentions where he was born, what his father did for a living, the schools he attended, and his marriage with no more sentimentality than one would place in bullet points. However, when he does offer a personal opinion of a mentor or a fellow statesman as well as his notation of the death of his wife, you get a great teaser of what his personality must have been like and makes me wish he'd taken the time to offer a more passionate description of events. Annoyingly, his most animated writing is reserved for his time spent in France. As a Gallophile, he goes into great detail about the early days of France's revolution, his opinion of how he would've acted to prevent the downward turn it took, and his desire to go back and witness it in real time as it was going on. He spends so much time on this that he doesn't even make it to his own presidency or even vice presidency and just gives a brief mention of accepting the role of Washington's Secretary of State.

But the pros outweigh all of this. It's kind of like seeing a diary of our Revolution as it was happening from the viewpoint of the congress as opposed to the battlefield which is certainly different. He offers the unedited edition of the Declaration of Independence in this small volume with the parts stricken out and the parts added in shown in different typefaces. You see a lot of the same arguments that were laid out in the Federalist Papers for how the new government is to be set up with opposing arguments stated by other people in the discussions he had during different sessions. It's fascinating to read about the debate and thought process that went into a monetary system or a redesign of the prison system... things you don't usually think about when speaking of our Revolutionary War. 

I do recommend it but I also think the best way to research Jefferson further is to look into all of his correspondences, many of which have been saved. Not just his personal correspondence with John Adams, but other letters to other people of note in that time. There's a volume out there that has all of these and I may look into it sometime.

Book Review

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë

Happily surprised with how much I like this book. I think I even love it. A kind of: where has it been all my life? moment. Of course it's been there the whole time I'm just finicky and procrastination-prone when it comes to picking books.

I'm not as chained to my usual genre preferences when it comes to classic fiction; it's a genre of its own. When reading the classic ladies' novels they're often romances and I'm never sure what I'll get. I adored Little Women and while I liked the Jane Austin novels I tried, they lacked some of the "wow" factor. That's probably why I waited so long to try another classic piece. And I think I see now what makes a classic romance appealing to me... when there's a lot more going on than just the romance. It's the defining portion of this novel too, but the protagonist has many other experiences that shape and define her. The book is about Jane Eyre not just Jane Eyre finding love after a relatively love-starved existence. Her journey of growth before meeting Mr. Rochester is its own story and the journey of faith she takes after she leaves Thornfield Hall is yet another. I didn't read the preface thoroughly so I was still able to enjoy some surprises, although most classic fiction is predictable to a certain degree.

Of course modern society teaches disdain for stories like this... I've seen the "describe a classic badly " jokes - examples: a young governess falls in love with a charming asshole edge lord who keeps his wife in the attic - a comic portraying Rochester complaining about how he's suffered terribly from spending his wife's fortune to sleep his way around Europe, etc. There's a kernal of truth that makes them funny. But the psychology of the characters is actually pretty accurate and the romance is a common fantasy women whether they admit it or not. The woman's innocence and gentle goodness changes the man's hardened, scoundrel nature. There's even instances of unrequited love in there as well which is the kind of love story I like. It's also a wonderful reminder of how marriage should not entered into lightly whether it's a marriage of love, of convenience, or arranged. Not something taken very seriously nowadays.

The pacing is a little slow but when it moves it takes you with it. I loved it and recommend it to anyone who likes classics and romance and just a good story. And don't read the forward if you've not read it before.