1 HOUR TO NANOWRIMO YOU GUYS

I'd be running around flailing and going 'aaaaaaaaah' if I wasn't so tired. As is I think I'll just do homework and sip water and stretch and watch the clock like a mouse watching the cat outside its mousehole.

I need to post more often

This is getting ridiculous, really. Anyway, quick bringing-up-to-date stuff: I am currently back at school, classes are going pretty well with either my Argumentative Writing or my Fairy Tale courses probably being the best and Astronomy being the worst but all still in A-range, where I hope to keep them all semester! I've kept busy exercising a LOT in my spare time, and will be competing at Oireachtas this year, which is both frightening and exciting. Also I get to go home for Thanksgiving this year which feels really strange because I never have before. It'll be odd spending a week at home then coming back to Hawaii for a few weeks and then going home again so soon! I can't wait to see all my siblings again, they've all grown, especially the baby. I see her on Skype sometimes and she likes waving at me and things, so she probably thinks I'm just on the computer screen now, I hope she isn't frightened when I show up physically and real at the airport, that'd be awkward.

I have at least been keeping up with my book reviews, and as you may have noticed I have been doing a LOT of reading. September was a high point, I read like ten books or so, October has been a bit more full of school and midterms and things so I am not sure how many books I'll be able to finish this month. We'll see. I'm currently partway through about five. I tend to read many books at the same time.

Also, film. I went to the theatre to watch "Real Steel" a couple weeks ago and to my own surprise I enjoyed it; it's somewhat predictable (the fatal flaw of any sports movie really) but despite that I really cared about the characters, the robots were fantastic, and the humor and energy of the film was really fun. So as a light, silly piece of entertainment it was pretty good. Also, Hugh Jackman was in it, as well as the kid who played little Thor in "Thor", and Evangeline Lily from "Lost", as well as Kevin Durand, so the casting alone made it a pleasure to watch :)

I'm still rabidly following any and all "Hobbit" film news. Speaking of which, I am a Hobbit for Halloween this year. I put my entire costume together in a day (thank you Salvation Army thrift store!) thanks to being incredibly fortunate in finding the perfect pair of pants and even a long green woolen coat at the thrift store. Also, I am now very fond of the suspenders I bought for the costume too, I want to wear them all the time but I'm afraid that most people find suspenders to be stupid, not cool. Oh well. I even found a costume store that sells pointed ear tips and the gum to attach them with, so I am wearing pointy ears too! I'm going to save this costume so I can wear it to "The Hobbit" premiere next December, I think.

As far as films I'm interested in that are a bit closer, I am mostly keen on watching "The Artist" and "War Horse", but I'm also planning to probably watch "The Muppets" (I'm a huge Muppets/Jim Henson fan but have been really displeased with most recent Muppet things and so want to be sure this film is a return to form before I commit) and "The Adventures of Tintin" (I think I'm finally sold on the mocap visuals).

Hm, what else? Hawaii's nice, it's been a bit rainy lately but the humidity's mostly manageable, thank goodness. I like all my classes. It's great seeing old friends again. And yet I am eager to go back home for Christmas already--cookie baking and present wrapping and hot cocoa making and getting to goof around with seven younger siblings and two extremely awesome parents, what could there possibly be more delightful than that?

I'll pop back in in a few days with my book reviews for October, and then hopefully I'll keep to a more frequent posting schedule after. Cheers!

Book Reviews for September

I read a lot of books in September. I mean, a LOT a lot. Like, I-am-crazy-why-aren't-I-using-my-time-to-study-for-my-midterms-instead a lot. It's all okay though, I got A's on all my midterms so no harm done.

Even better, I actually really enjoyed all of them except two, which is way higher than my usual ratio, yay. Also, some of these books--like Cormac McCarthy's The Road and William Goldman's The Princess Bride are tomes I've been wanting to read for a long time, so it's especially satisfying to say I have read them (and enjoyed them) at last.

So here you go, my reviews for the NINE books I read in September. I wish I knew how many pages that was.

Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins

I thought this was a satisfying followup to The Hunger Games (which was, you may recall, my previous Book of the Month); it had plenty of twists and turns, the story got deftly darker, and the stakes were raised without feeling too contrived. Also, there were some surprisingly horrific moments, which helped keep it from feeling like a retread of the first book. While some plot points were painfully obvious to me, others were not. Pacing still whipped past, and I still can't decide if I like that or not. It does make me wonder, however, whether I might actually like the films even better than the books (GASP) because the pacing seems a bit more attuned to cinema. We'll see next year, I guess!

Marvel Civil War: Iron Man

I thought this was good and solid but it didn't have as good a storyline as the other comics. On the plus side, however, the character dynamics were far more interesting, and since I love anything dealing with character dynamics that is a big plus. Also I think this had the best artwork of the lot, I read it super slow because I had to savor and examine every page. Great stuff.

The Shadow of the Torturer, by Gene Wolfe

I finished this early in September and I thought it was for sure my book of the month. As it turns out, it wasn't, but it is a highly recommended read anyway. I am pretty sure this book influenced "Name of the Wind" heavily; that's not a bad thing, just interesting. Its first-person voice is FAR superior to Kvothe's, though and the world and its characters are all really interesting and engaging. It's a pretty dark story and can be a bit confusing at times, but overall it's pretty good. I might check out the rest of the trilogy.

The Sable Quean, by Brian Jacques

I've been feeling nostalgic for Redwall and when I heard there's a character named Globby in this one I just had to read it. Alas, although the book began fine it quickly unravelled to the point where it felt like the entire plot and its contents were just inferior rip-offs of what Jacques wrote in earlier (and excellent) books: the lone badger maid, the dibbuns getting kidnapped and enslaved, underground tunnels with water and carnivorous blind fish, an island surrounded by pike, an over-dramatic female who is part of a traveling troupe, double-crossing villainesses--I could go on and on. The plot really fell apart in the second half, becoming completely random and nonsensical. If the above elements sound interesting, please read "Marlfox", "Martin the Warrior", or "Pearls of Lutra", but don't bother with this one. Not even Globby could save it.

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy

This was the second book I was absolutely sure I was going to name Book of the Month, but I ultimately chose another by the slimmest of slim margins. This book is incredible. It's beautiful and heartrending and haunting and riveting and terrifying all at once. McCarthy's use of language is simply wonderful; his descriptions are succinct and yet so well-written that they are far more effective than sensationalism would have been. The characters--I felt I knew them so well basically as soon as I met them, and I cared about them instantly. That's talent, folks. And though there are disturbing and even horrific parts ultimately the end is somehow uplifting. I can't really describe this book well enough, just trust that it was fantastic and basically moved me to tears numerous times.

The Princess Bride, by William Goldman

I love the movie. I can quote it back to front. I consider it, in fact, to be one of the most perfect films ever made; I wouldn't change a thing about it. So I was a bit nervous about reading the source novel. That being said, I ultimately ended up enjoying this book quite a lot; it's funny and smartly written. The best parts for me were the interactions between Fezzick and Inigo and being able to read their backstories. I don't think it would have been half as enjoyable without watching the film first though, because the actors are really what made the characters come to life and gave them the dimensionality and charisma that makes me care about them, really; some of them, like Buttercup, are so ridiculous in the book I cannot care about them. So I am glad I read the book, but the film version still remains by far my favorite.

Heir to the Empire, by Timothy Zahn

A solid, very enjoyable "Star Wars" novel and definitely better than the entire prequel film trilogy put together. Everyone is completely in character, the plot is engaging and well-paced, the dialogue is so perfect I can clearly hear it spoken by the actors from the films, and it's actually pretty sophisticated plot-wise. Best of all, it captures the mood of the first "Star Wars" films really well, fun but dangerous and exuberant all at once. I'm definitely going to read the rest of this trilogy.

Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins

This is a difficult book to grade. Overall it was a bit too remorselessly dark and down, in my opinion, and it's certainly brutal; no longer can this series be called a children's series, if ever it was. Also, a lot of characters change drastically very quickly which can be a bit startling; the ending almost felt like . . . 1984 if it had a happy ending (stupid analogy, I know, I can't really explain it any better though). The emotional payoff is not quite what the reader wants, but I respect Collins for that. There are lots of things that happen that I had thought even from book one "Oh, that'd be cool if she did that" but never thought would happen because they were just too dark. AND THEN SHE DID THEM in this book. So that kind of delighted me, haha. Anyway, I thought it was a brave finale and if not as well-executed as "Ptolemy's Gate", well, that's all right because nothing is. It is a fitting ending to the series.

Gentleman Captain, by JD Davies

Let me just say that when the blurb on the back of your book is more interesting, exciting, and suspenseful than the actual story inside your book you should know you have problems. The author is apparently a historian who crossed over into novel writing and you can tell because the characters are all lifeless and dull and immediately forgettable and he manages to make even sea battles, assassination plots, and mutinous crews boring, but he spends pages and pages talking about history, awkwardly, in the first-person voice of his insipid main character. This is basically a waste of what might have been a good plot; don't bother with it.

Assassin's Apprentice, by Robin Hobb

The last book I read this month is also my favorite. What a breath of fresh air! This is absolutely the best fantasy I have read in a long time; it is essentially perfect in my opinion. I kept expecting it to derail at any moment with a sort of superstitious trepidation and by the end I was so delighted I was probably grinning like a fool at the pages as I turned them. It's beautifully written, is filled with engaging characters I cared about, has a wonderful protagonist who tells the story in first person masterfully, has really creepy villainry, fantastic politics, complexity, tragedy, beauty, mystery, and a totally unexpected twist towards the end that had me literally with my jaw dropped open completely caught unawares. That never happens. Best of all, perhaps, is the entire lack of objectionable content; thank gracious a fantasy novel with no gratuitous sexual content, or, indeed, any sexual content at all. It relies entirely upon the strength of the characters and the story and emerges triumphant. I am definitely hunting down the sequel to this, I can't wait. HIGHLY recommended.

So that's it, folks! Have you read any of these books before, and if so, how do your thoughts on them compare with mine? I'm off to get back to my reading now; I have 13 books borrowed from the library, if you'll believe it. Also, I'm currently in the middle of planning my next NaNoWriMo novel; November's only about three weeks away, after all.

Book Reviews for August

August was a crazy month for me; one moment in California, the next in Hawaii. As a result I don't have too many books that I finished in August. Now that I've settled back into the college routine however I've been busily stocking up on library books and am halfway through half a dozen of them! Home, after all, is where your book rests XD

Doctor Who: Paradox Lost, by George Mann
This book read like watching an episode, and I mean that in the best way possible. Mr. King Kong novelist could learn a lot from Mr. Mann. Eleven was delightfully Eleven-y; just reading about him and his dialogue I could easily visualize Matt Smith acting it all out. Wonderful. Another bonus to this story is that most of it is told from Rory's point-of-view, and one can never have too much Rory! Even better? The story involves a mystery, time-travel, an android, aliens, and both Futuristic and Victorian London. Also, since it's a book and not an episode it allows for a bit more gore, which I'm sorry to admit is something I like, ha. It's brainy and fun and a pleasant surprise, and I wouldn't mind reading more.

Marvel Civil War: Frontlines
I've been keen on reading the Civil War comics for a while now, I just haven't been able to find them. Problem now solved, thanks to my local library! I really enjoyed reading this. The dialogue's snappy, the art is brilliant, and the story is both clever and thought-provoking, clearly social commentary but also entertaining in its own right.

Marvel Civil War: Captain America
What I said above, really, more of the same. I think I prefer the art in Frontlines, but the storytelling in this collection, but I'm not sure. One thing's certain, though: Winter Soldier rocks.

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Book of the Month! YES I only just got around to reading this, but I've been trying to for years, it's just always checked out of the library. Anyway, I thought the book was great, if not quite up to the hype surrounding it. The narrative voice, the characters, and the plot are all good, and I liked the deliberate twists Collins puts on such tropes as the love triangle, for example. Sometimes it's a bit too deliberate, and so a little distracting, but usually it's just right. The tension was kept up really well throughout the story and the tricky issues and social critiques in the story were explored and utilized well. Something that irritated me a little was how quickly some problems were solved, but that's just part of the fast-paced nature of the novel, which in other places serves the story very well, so I suppose it's a necessary ill. Anyway, as far as dystopian literature goes this is nowhere near "Fahrenheit 451" or "1984" status, but it's still a very good read and a book I'll surely reread after I track down the remainder of the trilogy.

Book Reviews for July

August will be a separate post :)

King Kong (film novelization)
Ugh, this was such a disappointment. I mean, I don't really expect much from the novelization of a film really, but even so this book was incredibly dry and blah, the writing merely connecting the dots of the plot without any real flair or interest. If anything a novelization is a chance to flesh out characters, give greater insight into their minds, etc. The characters here were like cardboard, and I actually love the characters in the movie (I'm talking 2005 PJ version, by the way). The best part of this book was a typo ('whore durves')! Watch the film, it's great. Don't read the novelization.

The Sherlockian, by Graham Moore
Well, the two mysteries that make up the plot were told well and the characters were entertaining, but once the book was closed and the story was over neither really stuck with me. The best thing about this novel was the interactions between Conan Doyle and Bram Stoker, and the chapter where they discuss Oscar Wilde's recent death was utterly fantastic. There are plenty of quality lines scattered throughout as well, so overall I'd say it's not literature, but it is quality fiction with more thought behind it and things to say than most. Warnings for some 1800's crude and profane language.

A Princess of Mars, by Edgar Rice Burroughs
As someone who to her own surprise prefers the Disney "Tarzan" to Burroughs' actual novel, I have to say that this book is much much better than "Tarzan of the Apes". Its sheer inventiveness is extremely refreshing, and while it's not really that complex a tale it is very entertaining. Seeing all the aspects of the story that later influenced the entire sci-fi genre as a whole was also really interesting ('padwan's, telepathic Martians, etc.). Also, the opening chapter is probably one of the best openings to any book I have ever read; it literally gave me chills. As far as early fantastic literature goes I still definitely prefer "The Worm Ouroboros", but this book is worth a read.

Moon Over Manifest, by Clare Vanderpool
A very worthy Newbery medalist, thank goodness! I loved the way Vanderpool wrote; the voices of the characters, the simple and truthful style, the interplay between first-person narrative, newsclippings from the past, and the letters of a WWI soldier are all great. I am personally very interested in reading about WWI, it's such a tragic and powerful moment in history and impacted a lot of my favorite authors too (JRR Tolkien, for one), so to have an entire narrative thread set during that time was fantastic. The other half of the story is set during the Great Depression, another period of American history that I love learning about, so double-yay! The interlocking mysteries in the story could have been balanced a bit better, as I cared about some and others seemed very superfluous, but this is a very minor issue compared to how excellently it all comes together in the end (and powerfully; I actually got a bit misty-eyed). I'd really like to see this made into an old-style film. This is, in my opinion, one of those rare worthy Newbery Medalists that both kids and adults can enjoy. (Also, if you're interested in WWI like I am, check out the film "Wooden Crosses". It's a black-and-white French film from 1932, and many of the actors are actually veterans of the war. Its one of the most powerful, frightening, and emotionally draining films I've ever watched. Absolutely stunning. It really makes the war real to the viewer.)

Shane, by Jack Schaefer
At last, my book of the month! I don't usually read Westerns, but I'd heard good things about this book and so picked it up at the library. And then promptly read it cover-to-cover four times. It's a beautifully told story by a writer who knows perfectly how to use simplicity of language and understatement to his advantage. Shane is a fascinating and utterly compelling character, and the tragic ambiguity of the ending was of course exactly the kind of thing I love. I think the book could have done without the epilogue, but other than that I have no complaints. If you have not yet checked out this slim little book, do so! And then you can watch the film, which is also very good thanks mainly to Alan Ladd's performance and the cinematography. The book's better, though.