Brisingr is an odd book. The first time I read it, I was constantly finding fault with it, yet it was incredibly difficult to put down. I zoomed by it's 800 pages in 3 or 4 days. That's quite a few pages a day!
I am finding upon my second read through that it is simply too hard to read. The chapters where it takes the perspective of a dragon are absolutely ridiculous. The speaker takes on this dumb sounding voice with far too many adjectives, naming things along the lines of "brown-fur-good-meat deer" and "burns-real-bad fire" (I made that last one up).
The story also has some pacing issues, I've hit the 450 page area and it is just sooo slow, to the point of insanity. I suppose I'll have to suck it up and keep reading, but this is just plain difficult.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
March Blog #6: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (an autobiography), originally published 1997, newest version (w/ afterword) published 2005
I like the book alright so far, I just have trouble appreciating the way Douglass writes. It can be difficult to follow some times. Of course, it is a classic for a reason. I can appreciate how this book can be as followed as it is. It truly is something else to read first hand from a slave's experiences.
I think possibly the biggest issue with the book is, though it may have been truly momentous at the time, as of now the concept has been done to death in various works of arts, both of fiction and fact, be they poem, song, film, story, hymn, or full fledged novel.
So, yeah, as awesome as the book may have been a hundred and a half years ago, it kind of loses some of the effect in the translation, no?
I think possibly the biggest issue with the book is, though it may have been truly momentous at the time, as of now the concept has been done to death in various works of arts, both of fiction and fact, be they poem, song, film, story, hymn, or full fledged novel.
So, yeah, as awesome as the book may have been a hundred and a half years ago, it kind of loses some of the effect in the translation, no?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
March Blog #5: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (an autobiography), originally published 1997, newest version (w/ afterword) published 2005
Frederick Douglass uses a choppy style of dialect with a somewhat sophisticated undertone. He doesn't drop humongous words, but he doesn't litter his chapters with "ain't" and the like. By choppy I mean he uses a lot of periods, and doesn't use many compound or complex sentences. He also tends to use a lot of descriptions involving something relative to something else, and this often requires a bit of prior knowledge. Like so...
Frederick Douglass is a very smart man. He is an author with a strange style, but I don't know if I adore it much. His book is somewhere in between Lamb and the Bartimeaus trilogy for me. I'm more into fantasy and science fiction, so this book isn't really my style. He was obviously very intelligent, though, and I respect him for writing this book.
Frederick Douglass is a very smart man. He is an author with a strange style, but I don't know if I adore it much. His book is somewhere in between Lamb and the Bartimeaus trilogy for me. I'm more into fantasy and science fiction, so this book isn't really my style. He was obviously very intelligent, though, and I respect him for writing this book.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
March Blog #4: "The Machine Stops," by E.M. Forrster, published 1909
The Machine Stops is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago. At the risk of sounding a bit cliche, this is an epic of mountainous proportions. It is something special, and it has inspired countless science fiction titles.
I was truly amazed when I finished this short story. It is something special indeed. The themes resonate within me as I explore the dark and foreboding future painted in this story. Machines taking over the human race? No, it couldn't be!
Alright, enough with this sensationalized voice. Yes, I enjoyed the story a lot. The only problem it left for me was I wanted to figure out exactly what had become of the humans on the surface.
But I suppose that is one of the questions meant to be left unanswered. We don't really know where humanity is going.
I was truly amazed when I finished this short story. It is something special indeed. The themes resonate within me as I explore the dark and foreboding future painted in this story. Machines taking over the human race? No, it couldn't be!
Alright, enough with this sensationalized voice. Yes, I enjoyed the story a lot. The only problem it left for me was I wanted to figure out exactly what had become of the humans on the surface.
But I suppose that is one of the questions meant to be left unanswered. We don't really know where humanity is going.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
March Blog #3: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (an autobiography), originally published 1997, newest version (w/ afterword) published 2005
"I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, Talbot county, Maryland."
Reading this sentence out loud generates memories of the first time I saw Forrest Gump. No, the sentence itself is not stupid or uncoordinated, it simply brings back memories when I read it out loud. In fact, when you realize this sentence is coming from the mouth of a slave, it has a poignancy that can be difficult to define. And perhaps that is part of what the first sentence is about. Many slaves probably had no idea where they were or how to put it to words, and, as the back of the book says, a slave learning to read or write is punishable by death. I think that is perhaps one of the most moving aspects of the first lines. I get a feeling that Douglass is experiencing a sort of triumph and a sense of pride. He knows exactly where he is, and he can write it down, and there is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it. I process an image of a man struggling to write those first words to a story (as I so often do), and when he finally puts those words down, he is calm, and he is proud.
The first chapter of the book explains Douglass's origins as a slave, and exactly how innocent he was, how little he knew about what he was supposed to be. It is towards the end of the chapter that he sees the whippings unfold and realizes what his life is, and concludes the chapter claiming that so much more bad is to come. This sets a dire mood that pulls you into reading more.
The second chapter explains his master's life and the general activity of the slaves in more detail. It finishes up mentioning how the songs he sang as a child did not really convey the sadness that they felt, but actually probably enforced their image as barbarians.
Though I find the writing style of the book a little dry, the voice and life behind the book are captivating, and generate great feelings of awe and despair. The book is raw beauty in descriptions of the feelings, and the complacency with which he monitors and describes the scenes surrounding almost makes me feel sorry for the guy, while at the same time I feel I should feel proud of our nations current state in at the very least allowing other races to go further, if not far enough.
Reading this sentence out loud generates memories of the first time I saw Forrest Gump. No, the sentence itself is not stupid or uncoordinated, it simply brings back memories when I read it out loud. In fact, when you realize this sentence is coming from the mouth of a slave, it has a poignancy that can be difficult to define. And perhaps that is part of what the first sentence is about. Many slaves probably had no idea where they were or how to put it to words, and, as the back of the book says, a slave learning to read or write is punishable by death. I think that is perhaps one of the most moving aspects of the first lines. I get a feeling that Douglass is experiencing a sort of triumph and a sense of pride. He knows exactly where he is, and he can write it down, and there is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it. I process an image of a man struggling to write those first words to a story (as I so often do), and when he finally puts those words down, he is calm, and he is proud.
The first chapter of the book explains Douglass's origins as a slave, and exactly how innocent he was, how little he knew about what he was supposed to be. It is towards the end of the chapter that he sees the whippings unfold and realizes what his life is, and concludes the chapter claiming that so much more bad is to come. This sets a dire mood that pulls you into reading more.
The second chapter explains his master's life and the general activity of the slaves in more detail. It finishes up mentioning how the songs he sang as a child did not really convey the sadness that they felt, but actually probably enforced their image as barbarians.
Though I find the writing style of the book a little dry, the voice and life behind the book are captivating, and generate great feelings of awe and despair. The book is raw beauty in descriptions of the feelings, and the complacency with which he monitors and describes the scenes surrounding almost makes me feel sorry for the guy, while at the same time I feel I should feel proud of our nations current state in at the very least allowing other races to go further, if not far enough.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
March Blog #2: Lamb, by Christopher Moore, published 2002
I just completed the book.
And it was an interesting book. It started off as one of the more entertaining books I've read, and the idea for the story is absolutely fantastic.
But, and this became more and more apparent as I read, it simply does not live up to it's potential. It's funny, sure, and gripping, at times, but I have this nagging feeling that if it was split into a trilogy, where the first book focused on his early life, the second book on his training as a monk and what not, and the third the conclusion of the story of Jesus, then it would have been so much better. Moore proves that he is a talented author, and the end of the book (with Josh nailed to a cross) could have been so much more emotionally stirring. His description of the Yeti can be so heartbreaking, and I feel he could have turned the ending into so much more.
Anyway, I guess that's just my two cents.
And it was an interesting book. It started off as one of the more entertaining books I've read, and the idea for the story is absolutely fantastic.
But, and this became more and more apparent as I read, it simply does not live up to it's potential. It's funny, sure, and gripping, at times, but I have this nagging feeling that if it was split into a trilogy, where the first book focused on his early life, the second book on his training as a monk and what not, and the third the conclusion of the story of Jesus, then it would have been so much better. Moore proves that he is a talented author, and the end of the book (with Josh nailed to a cross) could have been so much more emotionally stirring. His description of the Yeti can be so heartbreaking, and I feel he could have turned the ending into so much more.
Anyway, I guess that's just my two cents.
Monday, March 2, 2009
March Blog #1: Lamb, by Christopher Moore, published 2002
Current page: 402
The gang is currently rounding up Josh's followers and preaching to all the various places.
As entertaining as the book can be, it seems to be in a constant rush. It's almost as if Moore had a deadline he needed to meet, and it's showing. Whereas the beginning of the book was nicely paced and entertaining to read, towards the middle it began to pick up and it continues to accelerate, and unfortunately that detracts from the story.
The gang is currently rounding up Josh's followers and preaching to all the various places.
As entertaining as the book can be, it seems to be in a constant rush. It's almost as if Moore had a deadline he needed to meet, and it's showing. Whereas the beginning of the book was nicely paced and entertaining to read, towards the middle it began to pick up and it continues to accelerate, and unfortunately that detracts from the story.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)