Universe in Words

This Friday Night

2012-03-02T05:46:00.000-08:00

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read.

Q: What book would you love to see made into a movie or television show and do you have actors/actresses in mind to play the main characters?

There are so many books that I think would be great as a movie. Then again, at times I am also one of those people who complains that Hollywood isn't creative and only remakes books and sequels. However, I would love to see a good film made out of 'The Never-ending Story'. The book was crucial to my childhood and it is simply beautiful. Who would I like to play the Childlike Empress? That's a difficult one because as the name says she has to be both friendly and childlike and regal. And then I thought of Saoirse Ronan. She is not only absolutely gorgeous, but also a great actress.

Book Beginnings is hosted by A Few More Pages and Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

Book Beginnings:

'The Brangwens had lived for generations on the Marsh Farm, in the meadows where the Erewash twisted sluggishly through alder trees, separating Derbyshire from Nottinghamshire.'

This didn't really get me excited so I read on three more lines and found this line, which is a much better line:

'There was a look in the eyes of the Brangwens as if they were expecting something unknown, about which they were eager. They had that air of readiness for what would come to them, a kind of surety, an expectancy, the look of an inheritor.'

That sounds good, no? What about Friday 56?

'"I know it was a great scandal: yes - a whole wagon, and they had girls, filles, naked, all the wagon-full, and so they came down to our village. They came through villages of the Jews, and it was a great scandal. Can you imagine? All the countryside!"'

Wagons full of naked girls? This sounds like a book you can give to your boyfriend.

What I did this week:

I wrote a tiny creative writing story. Hop on over if you fancy a read and I love constructive (even negative) comments and tips!
A Fine Bottle of Brandy

So, how about you? Don't hesitate to leave a link in your comment so I can come and visit you!!!

Fine Bottle of Brandy

2012-02-29T08:51:00.001-08:00

The sea seemed to dance to the voices of the wind. The waves rose and fell, clashed into each other with tumultuous laughter. It was hard to make out the little boat caught in this celebration of elements. It rocked dangerously but the man inside didn't seem to notice or to care. He had lost his paddles and sat in the middle of the boat, seemingly unnerved. It was only a small fisher's boat he was in and it seemed even smaller when compared to the endless sea around him.

John looked up to the sky and laughed. He had never seen the sky like this. It was dark, with here and there a light gleam breaking through the dark clouds. He knew it wasn't night yet, but he felt surrounded by an impossible darkness. He looked at his useless legs. He didn't even recognize them as being real legs. For why would he call them legs if they did not do what legs do: walk? He took another swig from the brandy bottle.

Suddenly a large wave overtook the boat. For a short moment that seemed so much longer, the boat had gone. When it resurfaced John was gone. Had he been swallowed by the gorging water? Suddenly a hand surfaced that grabbed onto the reel of the boat. For a moment it seemed that the boat would capsize but Fate seemed to pity John and the waves became calmer. John's head emerged from the black sea and he gasped. His other hand found it's way to the surface, still firmly gripping the brandy bottle.
'Damn it, that's one fine bottle of brandy ruined!'

Friday

2012-02-24T05:02:00.002-08:00

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read!

Activity!!! Take a picture or describe where you love to read the most...

I absolutely love reading outside. The best thing to do is read outside, in the garden, with a nice view in case you accidentally look up from your book, and have the sun in your back. So yeah, that is where I like to read. It's a bit public though, I always feel like people could be looking at me reading, which freaks me out. That's why I often read in my room, on my bed. Another good thing about that is that I can grab books immediately and don't have to walk upstairs to get it.

Book Beginnings is hosted by A Few More Pages and Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

This week I chose 'The English Novel: An introduction' by Tery Eagleton. I know, not a very catchy read, but I want to read English at uni, so I'm preparing myself.

Because the first sentence is boring, I will use one form the introduction. Book Beginning:

'The novel is the mythology of a civilization fascinated by its own everyday existence. It is neither behind or ahead of time, but abreast of them. It reflects them without morbid nostalgia or delusory hope.'

How smart does that sound?

Friday 56:

'A classical education was also a moral one, fit for building character ad producing the administrators of empire. These men had studied the classics at school and university, and thus were deemed well-equipped for, say, bloodily suppressing those in India or the Caribbean who posed a threat to British imperial interest. Classics made a man out of you, whereas the novel had a distressing knack of turning men into old women. '

Hm, apparently I am an man now. Thanks Eagleton.

What happened the last couple of weeks:

Friday Night Date Night: a movie review of 'Sleeping Beauty' (2011)
Review of 'Written in the Ashes' by K. Hollan Van Zandt
Review of 'Tears for Requiem' by Daniel Arenson
Spotlight: Play It Again by Tracy Krauss

Don't hesitate to leave your link below, I'll visit!

Friday Night Date Night

2012-02-24T04:27:00.001-08:00

Friday Night Date Night is a feature hosted by The Garden of Books that showcases movie review (mostly movies that were adapted from books). This week I watched 'Sleeping Beauty' with Emily Browning. It's not adapted form a book, but obviously linked to the fairy tale 'Sleeping Beauty'.

Let me just tell you, it is a very strange movie. There is a lot of nudity and sex in it, but I do like the story. It is about Lucy, whose life seems to be a chaos. She has 2 jobs, is about to get kicked out of her apartment and her best and only friend is sick. She applies for a new job, which starts of with serving food in her underwear. In a way, there is not a real beginning or end to the movie.

Emily Browning is amazing as Lucy, she just amazed me. I could never act the way she does in this movie, especially with the high amount of nudity. Rachael Blake is also brilliant as Clara, Lucy's boss. I really liked the cinematography. There were long scenes, continuous shots and this made the movie very calm and serene. That made it easier to watch the sometimes difficult scenes.

So, if you are not afraid of a movie that is a bit challenging, than you should definitely check this movie out! Don't hesitate to leave a link to your FNDN post in the comments!

Play It Again

2012-02-21T00:29:00.001-08:00

Some of you may remember I reviewed 'My Mother the Man-Eater' by Tracy Krauss and I am very happy to tell you that TODAY another book of hers is launched and there are all sorts of goodies and freebies involved! Not only would you get an amazing book and freebies, you could also help Tracy achieve a 'bestseller' status on Amazon!! It's win-win!

Here’s how:
1. Go to the Landing Page on Tracy’s Website
2. Buy the book at amazon.
3. Go back to the Landing Page and fill in the form with your name, email and purchase number
It’s that easy! You’ll be directed to your free gifts and all you have to do is choose which ones you want.

An unlikely duo meet in Play It Again, a story of love, life and faith. Sparks fly when an ex-rock and roll junkie and a stuffy accountant rendezvous at a local resort, but neither are prepared for the emotional entanglements, family complications, and threat from the past that unexpectedly resurfaces. Set in the 1980s, this story brings two opposing forces together in a clash of romance and danger, while its musical undertones highlight the theme that God can turn anything into beautiful music. Play It Again is the much anticipated prequel to Tracy’s debut novel And the Beat Goes On. Find out where Mark Graham’s journey began in this, the story of his parents.

Not only does it sound good, it's got some great reviews already:

This is one of the best contemporary novels I've read all year. . . Not only was it well-written, but it was edgy in that the story dared to be honest. . . I can see this touching a lot of people who have thought about God but have been afraid to move forward.”

- Michelle Sutton, author of more than a dozen inspirational novels

“This book is hot property, and grabs your interest from page one.”

- Yvonne Pat Wright, author of From Spice to Eternity

And here is just s sample of the amazing free stuff you might get:

- An e-copy of Lisa Lickel’s award winning novel Meander Scar

- Sample chapters from The Promise of Deer Run by Elaine Cooper, Warring Spirits by April Gardner, and The Right Person by Stacy Padula

- Beautiful downloadable art cards by author and artist Brenda Hendricks

- A free subscription to ‘PixApple’

- You copy of Frazzled No More by Shelley Hitz

- A cool ‘Daily Scheduler’ developed by author Janalyn Voigt

- And much more!

All if you buy your copy of PLAY IT AGAIN at amazon.com on Feb. 21! All links will be operational on the ‘Landing Page’ at www.tracykrauss.com/

DISCLAIMER: This ‘Best Seller book launch’ has been coordinated with the help of the ‘John 3:16 Marketing Network’ and many other generous supporters. The free gifts are deliverable electronically over the internet or by email by individual authors and supporters. They are not in any way associated with, nor deliverable by, amazon.com

So, what do you think? Sounds good, no?

Review: 'Tears for Requiem' by Daniel Arenson

2012-02-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

This second part of the 'Song of Dragons' trilogy, 'Tears of Requiem', is a perfect sequel to 'Blood of Requiem'. First, a summary:

The nightshades cover the land. Demons of smoke and shadow, they fear no sword or arrow. They suck the souls from all who live, like a glutton sucking marrow from bones. The world falls under their darkness.

But the nightshades crave more than random ruin. The souls of mere humans will not sate them. They seek dragons.
Requiem's last dragons, a mere scattering of survivors, have fought off men and griffins. But how can they fight the nightshades, creatures they cannot cut or burn?

I absolutely loved the first book, because it was one of the most original dragon stories I have ever read and when it ended I felt there was so much more to tell. 'Tears of Requiem' picks up right where 'Blood of Requiem' left of, which meant I was immediately sucked back into the story. Kyrie is on the run with the last remaining Vir Requis: Benedictus, his wife Lacrimosa and their daughter Agnus Dei. Gloriae, the daughter who was stolen by Dies Irae, has released the nightshades, who are ravaging the kingdom and killing its inhabitants. These Nightshades were a brilliant addition to the story because they are genuinely terrifying. Especially the effect they have on Gloriae and, later on, on Dies Irae leaves a lasting impression. Thankfully, this book has the right mix between action and context. There are impressive fight scenes in which full use is made of the fact that the main characters are dragons. And there is still time for the characters to develop.

What I think is great in the story is that the Vir Requis aren't out for revenge per se, they want to rebuild their own home, Requiem. It is very much a battle for equality and acceptance and this is perhaps best represented in Gloriae. In this book she finally has to face up to who she is and what she has done. Because Arenson has chosen to write each chapter from another perspective we also get to see how thoughts and actions are opposed. Kyrie is an adorable character that I think everyone could identify with. He is full of life and need for adventure, yet he is also loyal and honest. His relationship with Agnus Dei is therefor not a big surprise. She is my absolute favourite character. At times she is filled with anger and loss and at other times she can be caring and forgiving. Daniel has achieved what I see as crucial to a book: real characters. They are not stereotypes, they have human traits and arguments and are, at times, despicable. Even Dies Irae seems to have a more humane side and we learn more and more about him throughout the book.

Again, I absolutely loved Daniel's description of the characters' surroundings. Especially when the Vir Requis travel in the hope of finding a way of battling the Nightshades we get to see a wide variety of landscapes. What this adds to the story is that we are able to place the characters somewhere, instead of having them floating around in a nothing inside our minds. I also made an incredible discovery. Incredibly stupid perhaps, because I cannot believe I didn't notice it earlier. I already mentioned that each of them have Latin names, but now I was accidentally listening to Mozart's Requiem while reading the book and I noticed that almost all of the characters have names linked to songs from there, except Gloriae. So I had another listen and to my surprise found that the characters respond very well to the music. I love having a soundtrack to a book, so it seems I have found mine.

In short, this book is bound to have you on the edge of your seat. The story line offers both tearjerkers and action-packed chases. Daniel again achieves writing a beautifully human story, set in fascinating fantasy landscape.

I give this book...

4 UNIVERSES!

So, what do you think?

Review: 'Written in the Ashes' by K. Hollan van Zandt

2012-02-08T02:41:00.000-08:00

This book was sent to me by Kaia's publicist and I absolutely loved it. And there is something else that got me excited: this book has been optioned for a TV mini-series by Academy Award-winning producer Mark Harris (Crash 2005). I cannot wait to see this beautiful story on my TV. Here's a quick summary first:

When the Roman Empire collapses in the 5^th century, the city of Alexandria, Egypt is plagued with unrest. Paganism is declared punishable by death and the populace splinters in religious upheaval. Hannah, a beautiful Jewish shepherd girl is abducted from her home in the mountains of Sinai and sold as a slave in Alexandria to Alizar, an alchemist and successful vintner. Her rapturous singing voice destines her to become the most celebrated bard in the Great Library.

Meanwhile, the city’s bishop, Cyril, rises in power as his priests roam the streets persecuting the pagans. But while most citizens submit, a small resistance fights for justice. Hypatia, the library’s charismatic headmistress, summons her allies to protect the world’s knowledge from the escalating violence. Risking his life, his family, and his hard-earned fortune, Alizar leads the conspiracy by secretly copying the library’s treasured manuscripts and smuggling them to safety.

When Hannah becomes the bishop’s target, she is sequestered across the harbor in the Temple of Isis. But an ancient ceremonial rite between a monk and priestess inside the Pharos lighthouse ignites a forbidden passion. Torn between the men she loves, Hannah must undertake a quest to the lost oracles of Delfi and Amun-Ra to find the one thing powerful enough to protect the pagans: The Emerald Tablet. Meanwhile, the Christians siege the city, exile the Jews, and fight the dwindling pagan resistance as the Great Library crumbles. But not everything is lost. . .

As I said above, I absolutely adored this book. Once I started this book I worked my way through it in 2 days. And when I say work, I mean it was a perfect read. We are first introduced to Hannah when she is travelling across the Sinai with her father. Immediately I saw how deeply culture and tradition are embedded in this story. The relationship between Hannah and her father is not only important to Hannah but also becomes important to the reader because it forms the motivation for many of her actions. And then we are introduced to Hypatia, shortly in the beginning but truly in the middle.

Hypatia is a spectacular character. Historically she is an absolute inspiration and I am surprised she is so rarely featured in historical novels. Perhaps because smart women rarely feature, but Kaia's book has plenty of those. What is special about this book is that it confront you with 2-D characters. There are no black-and-white characters and everyone is presented in a human way. Hypatia has her weak moments and self doubt, but this is what makes the characters believable. It is clear that a lot of research has gone into this book, which is perhaps most beautifully expressed in the description of the Library of Alexandria. I only wish I could time travel and visit that beautiful place.

Another amazing description is that of Pharos and the Temple of Isis. Forming a contrast to the hectic happenings in Alexandria, it's a time to breathe for the reader and Hannah and another opportunity to see a different side of Egypt, the mystical side. I really enjoyed this part of the book as the preparation for the ceremonial rite is fascinating, as is the actual rite itself. I especially liked how the journey to Delphi is described. I went there as a child and have been fascinated with Greek mythology ever since. I think every book that has a reference to the Oracle is simply magnificent.

Next to a beautiful story, the book also shows respect for the time in which the story is set. As a historical fiction novel it is one of the best I have read in a long time. The conflict between the Christians and the Jews and the awful conclusion to that are described with respect and very beautifully, with attention to the human suffering on both sides. It also highlights slavery throughout the novel as Hannah keeps on facing prejudice and also feels restricted by her position, even if those closest to her don't treat her as a slave.

Kaia has truly achieved creating a story that is both captivating and interesting. With beautiful attention to detail and tradition, it is bound to ensnare every reader. Hannah is a strong lead character that does not bore and especially the characters of Alizar and Hypatia form a great set of realistic characters. There are may touching moments and the description of landscape is bound to make a reader's imagination take flight.

I give this book...

4 UNIVERSES!!!

So, what do you think? Does this sound like a book for you?

FREE Two Days Only: A Vampire Novel with Actual Bite!

2012-02-06T16:12:00.000-08:00

As the modern world establishes itself and pushes the supernatural into the shadows, the supernatural fights back.
The Darkening Dream is a chilling new dark fantasy novel by Andy Gavin, creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, that has received rave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads and is FREE for two days only on Amazon Kindle (February 7th to 8th)! Download your FREE copy here: http://amzn.to/yTvZPG

Long-time readers of dark historical fantasy (Tim Powers, Guy Gavriel Kay, Katherine Kurtz) will appreciate the weaving together of mythology, occult, and religion, while younger readers and fans of HBO dramas (True Blood, Carnivàle) or urban fantasy (Laurell K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher) will be drawn to the twisted imagination, graphic action, and romantic tension.

About The Darkening Dream
Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.

1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand.

With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal?

No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be her very soul.

The Reviews Are In
"A vampire novel with actual bite." ~The Kirkus Reviews

"Mr. Gavin has brought something refreshingly new to a genre now suffused with poorly-concealed bodice-rippers which have more in common with Fabio than Bram Stoker: depth. His big baddies are scary, not romantic interests, and the added religious lore is complex and engaging. Don't expect another Twilight -- the story can get downright creepy, so be prepared for a return to the old horror sensibilities of supernatural fiction." ~Amazon Review

"With Mr. Gavin's video-game pedigree, I was expecting something aimed squarely at the 18-25 year old fanboy contingent; what I got in The Darkening Dream was something wholly unexpected: A period novel with a female protagonist, a crash-course on Judaism in the colonial years, and multi-layered series of plot arcs featuring a crazy cast of natural and supernatural characters populating 18th Century Colonial America." ~Amazon Review

"…A perfect blend of mystery, magic and myth. A grown-up Grimm's fairy tale...emphasis on grim." ~Amazon Review

Read the first two sample chapters here >> http://bit.ly/xXVxXS

Get your FREE copy of The Darkening Dream for two days only on Amazon here.

No eReader or Kindle? No problem. Get free apps for your Web Browser, PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, or Android Phone.

February Friday

2012-02-03T05:25:00.000-08:00

It's Friday and it's snowing in many parts of Europe, but not here. It is freezing, but the sun is shining.

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read.

Define what characteristics your favorite books share. Do they all have a kickass heroine or is the hot love interest the Alpha Male?

My favourite books are all fiction (I know, big surprise there) and I think most of them are pretty strong on plot and description. Look at a book like 'The Shadow of the Wind'. It is terribly plot-driven, there are always new story lines and everything somehow comes together in the end in a baffling conclusion. I also absolutely fell in love with Carlos Ruiz Zafon's Barcelona and I will most likely be slightly disappointed when I go there this summer. Yes, I forced my friends into going to Barcelona with me so I can run through Barcelona, trying to find a bookstore that looks like 'Sempere & Sons'.

Today I chose D.H. Lawrence's 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' to do Book Beginnings and Friday 56.

Book Beginnings is hosted by A Few More Pages.

'Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take it tragically. The cataclysm has happened, we are among the ruins, we start to build up new little habitats, to have new little hopes. It is rather hard work: there is now no smooth road into the future: but we go round, or scramble over the obstacle. We've got to live, no matter how many skies fall.'

That sounds really good if you ask me. Slightly tragic and deep, but I like a philosophic beginning.

Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

'Their eyes met. His had a cold, ugly look of dislike and contempt, and indifference to what would happen. Hers were hot with rebuff. But her heart sank, she saw how utterly he disliked her, when she went against him. And she saw him in a sort of desperation. 'Good afternoon!''Afternoon, my Lady!' He saluted and turned abruptly away. She had wakened the sleeping dogs of old voracious anger in him, anger against the self-willed female. And he was powerless, powerless. He knew it!'

Love it. I know I probably quoted way too much, but I love how they have such opposing feelings for each other, even though obviously she interprets him wrong. I actually love this story and if you are a Sean Bean fan, you'll love the movie.

So, how about you? Post your link in the comment section and Ill return the visit :)

Last Friday of January

2012-01-27T08:48:00.001-08:00

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and this week's qst is:

Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?

I tend to avoid paranormal, mostly because I usually find the story line rather boring (sorry paranormal fans). I just think that since 'Twilight' a lot fo paranormal authors have stuck with the vampire/werewolf/human love-triangle. I think I would enjoy reading paranormal if I felt that they were truly original. I guess that me avoiding it has led to me not knowing any good ones, but I simply dislike it.

Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and Book Beginnings is hosted by A Few More Pages.

This week I chose 'Aspects of a Novel' by E.M. Forster. I recently read Forster's 'A Room With a View' and liked it, so I decided to pick this one up to. It is not really a book,but more a collection of lectures given by a friend of his, adapted in such a way they can be read. I really enjoyed David Lodge's 'The Art of Fiction' so I figured this would be a pleasant enough read.

Book Beginnings: (I decided to skip the Introduction because the beginning of that wasn't interesting or fun although the intro itself was)

'We shall all agree that the fundamental aspect of the novel is its story-telling aspect, but we shall voice our assent in different tones, and it is on the precise tone of voice we employ now that our subsequent conclusions will depend.'

I would say the story line is one of the most important things in the book. If it is boring than no matter how lively your characters are, you will be let down by a book.

Friday 56:

'So let us think of people as starting life with an experience they forget and ending it with one which they anticipate but cannot understand. These are the creatures whom the novelist proposes to introduce as characters into books; these, or creatures plausibly like them.'

Well, here I seem to have found a good definition of character. I am so using that in my English exam in June: 'these characters seem to work towards a goal which they anticipate but cannot understand'! For once, I will sound smart.

So, how about you? What is your least favourite genre?

Spotlight: 'The Darkening Dream' by Andy Gavin

2012-01-21T05:35:00.000-08:00

And here is another amazing novel I would like to share with you. Also, the cover was made by Cliff Nielsen, the fantasy artist who made the current Narnia covers!

The Darkening Dream is the chilling new dark fantasy novel by Andy Gavin, creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter.

Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.

1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does notunderstand.

With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal?

No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast isSarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.

Sound good? Click HERE for the review information and request a copy!

Novel Website: http://the-darkening-dream.com

Author: http://andy-gavin-author.com

And of course a link to Amazon.

Check back in the next weeks for a guest post by Andy Gavin!

Friday the 20th!

2012-01-20T06:43:00.000-08:00

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and the Qst is:
What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get your hands on any particular book?

This is not exactly crazy, but for the fifth Harry Potter I went to one of those all night events. There would be Harry Potter activities, drinks would be served from a big cauldron, there were magic beans and the muffins had a magic surprise. And then at 12 'o clock they would read from the 5th book.

The craziest thing I ever did was pay £70 for a book I really wanted. It is a sort of vocabulary/dictionary for Egyptian Hieroglyphs, translated into Latin and German. I had been passing this book for over a year and no one else had bought it in that time, so I figured it was destiny.

TGIF is hosted by GReads and this week's Qst. is:
Recommend It: Which book from the last 10 you've read would you recommend to a friend?
There are soo many books I would like to recommend to people. But here are the 3 that immediately came to mind:

All the 'Harry Potter' books, because they are simply great stories.
'The Lord of the Rings' is simply a brilliant epic story that anyone interested in literature should now.
'The Shadow of the Wind' and 'The Angel's Game' are brilliant books and anyone who loves intricate, slightly Gothic stories should now these.

A friend recently gave me a book called 'The Patchwork Planet' by Anne Tyler and I thought I'd use it for Friday 56 and Book Beginnings. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and Book Beginnings is hosted by A Few More Pages.

Book Beginnings:

'I am a man you can trust, is how my customers view me. Or at least, I'm guessing it is. Why else would they hand me their house keys before they leave for vacation?'

Friday 56:

'Or Mr. Shank, a lonesome and pathetic type, who took advantage of our no-task-too-small, no-hour-too-late policy to phone us in the middle of the night and ask for someone to come right away for some trifling, trumped-up job like securing a bedroom shutter that was flapping in the wild.'

Happy Friday!!!!

And this is what I did last week: Poe-Week, with reviews of 'The Tell-Tale Heart', 'The Fall of the House of Usher', 'The Cask of Amontillado', 'The Raven' and 'The Mask of Red Death'.

So how about your answers? And what have you been up to this week?

Review: 'The Mask of Red Death' by Edgar Allan Poe

2012-01-20T06:13:00.000-08:00

This is the last review in this years Poe-Week and I really enjoyed it, so I might do it again next year with different texts. But for now, it is time to review 'The Mask of the Red Death'.

Author: Edgar Allan Poe
Publication Date: May 1842
Publisher: Graham's Magazine

The story is set in a country, I presume, where the Red Death is plaguing the population. Prince Prospero is hiding out in his abbey, together with about a 1000 friends. The abbey has 7 rooms, each of which are decorated in different colours. All of the rooms seem very cheerful, except the one decorated with black velvet and with red windows. They have a masked ball and everything seems fine, until a hooded figure appears.

This was the probably the ultimate Gothic story out of all of those Poe stories I read. It can be interpreted in many different ways. The 7 different rooms could be seen as different parts of the mind or different human traits. In that sense the story might be a story about how death is inevitable, because the Red Death will find you, no matter where you hide or how you behave. Of course, there is also the interpretation of Poe saying that not even the rich can escape death and that their behaviour is scandalous.

I really enjoyed the story even though it is rather grisly. The idea of these rich people hiding away and letting the poor die creates a group of victims that you almost want to die. And the setting description is simply gorgeous. Especially the way the black velvet room is described creates a rather scary atmosphere. Only criticism: you never really get to know any of the characters and therefore their death is not as shocking as in the other stories!

A movie was made of it: 'The Mask of Red Death' (1964). And although the story was slightly blown up and although they added satanism, it is still funny to watch:

Well, this what is then. The end of Poe-Week. Hope you enjoyed it!

Review: 'The Raven' by Edgar Allan Poe

2012-01-19T06:11:00.000-08:00

It is Edgar's birthday!! Let's all mentally sing a 'Happy Birthday' and then get cracking on this review. I think 'The Raven' is definitely one of Edgar's most well-known works. It is also the only poem I am reviewing this week.

Author: Edgar Allan Poe
Publication Date: January 1845
Publisher: First in 'The American Review' but under a pseudonym. First time under his own name: New
York Evening Mirror

The Narrator is mourning the loss of his love, Lenore, when suddenly he hears a rapping on the door. He believes it is an unwelcome visitor but there is no one there. When he hears the rapping again he opens the window and a raven flies in. Amused by its serious air he asks it his name, to which it responds 'Nevermore'. He seats himself opposite the Raven who has seated himself atop a but of Pallas Athena and concludes it learn the word from his previous master. But as the evening continues he becomes more and more desperate and that is all I will tell.

I truly enjoyed this story because it is beautifully written. It is not a true poem, but a narrative poem with its main theme being undying love. In an essay from 1946, called 'The Philosophy of Composition', he says he wanted to create a poem that is suitable for both the public and the critics. He thought of every single detail and planned the story carefully so every detail would be important. I think that this dedication definitely shows in the story and how it effects the reader. It is at the same time interesting and terrifying. You never know whether the Raven is conscious of the effect it has on the Narrator or not. I quoted the beginning below because it is one of my favourite beginnings to a poem.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore —While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door."'Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door — Only this and nothing more."

Apparently Edgar was inspired by Dickens Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of Eight, which I have never read, therefore I would not know, but it has a talking Raven. I wonder how you feel about author's borrowing ideas from others. I don't think there is anything wrong with it because writing is about being inspired by something, What does upset me is the endless copying of certain themes or ideas, such as the typical Twilight-set up: girl falls in love with 2 different boys and has to choose.

Something I want to share with you: James Earl Jones reading 'The Raven'. He is Darth Vader's voice and his reading is simply beautiful. And it also highlight the rhyming in the poem.

What are your thoughts on this?

Review: 'The Cask of Amontillado' by Edgar Allan Poe

2012-01-17T16:01:00.000-08:00

And it is Wednesday and we are more than half way through the Poe-Week. Now, for today I have 'The Casque (or Cask) of Amontillado' , a grizzly story about immurement.

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

Publication Date: November 1846

Publisher: Godey's Lady's Book

This is the first of his stories that I read for this week where the narrator is actually named. Montresor wants to avenge himself on his "friend" Fortunato, who has the bad luck of somehow insulting him. We are never told what the insult is but apparently it was awful enough for Montrsor to want to taste blood (figuratively of course, I haven't encountered cannibalism yet in any of Poe's stories).

Montresor comes up to Fortunato during the Carnival and the latter is rather drunk, even to such an extent that he doesn't get any of the hints that Montresor drops, such as "No one insults me with impunity". It seems to me that if you have insulted someone then this hint must be enough to get you thinking. Unless you are very drunk, I guess.

Fortunato and Montresor enter the latter's vaults where he says he has a pipe (about 492 litres) of Amontillado wine that he wants Fortunato to look at. Although in the previous 2 posts I have tried not to let you know anything about the story, here I feel it is too vital not too. The immurement of Fortunato is a rather strange ordeal. It seems more stressful for Montresor than for Fortunato, who is almost too drunk to actually fully appreciate what is being done to him. And it also seems that the fumes in the catacombs were fatal to his weak chest, which means the immurement is barely of any use.

This was definitely a chilling story to read, since as a reader you already know what is going to happen because the narrator is clearly preparing himself for it and we follow his thought process. However, because we are never told what the offense was, we are unable to agree with him or feel that he is any way justified to take revenge. And what got me wondering was that he seems unwilling to fulfill his wish . He keeps on asking Fortunato whether they should not go back and it seems just strange that he doesn't seem to actually want to kill him.

I found this animation on Youtube, together with a song-adaptation, which I thought would be fun to share, since it's rather good. Don't forget: SPOILER ALERT.

Final note: I think the name Montresor was intended to be read by Poe as the French Mon Tresor, which means 'my treasure'. He does stow Fortunato away rather safely and perhaps Fortunato stole something from him that he regarded as a treasure. I love these small intertextual links that Poe has quite a lot. And don't forget: tomorrow it is his actual birthday, which means I will be reviewing 'The Raven'.

Review: 'The Fall of the House of Usher' by Edgar Allan Poe

2012-01-16T16:26:00.000-08:00

It is day 2 of the Poe Week and I think my nightmare from last night might have something to do with having read this book. It is a rather haunting tale. G.R. Thompson said "the tale has long been hailed as a masterpiece of Gothic horror; it is also a masterpiece of dramatic irony and structural symbolism."

Here's the basic info:

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

Publication date: September 1839

Published as: a periodical in Burton's Gentleman's Magazine

In this tale an unnamed narrator (this seems to be something Poe used a lot) goes to visit his friend, Roderick Usher, who is suffering from a psychological illness. He goes there to find out his friend's troubles are worse than he expected and that they are linked to the possibly speedy death of Roderick's sister. This is as much as I will tell because I don't want to spoil the story.

What I especially loved was that the first six or so pages are filled with the narrator's description of the landscape and the House of Usher. The House really is the first character that's introduced, since 'The House of Usher' doesn't only mean the actual house but also the family. Through that description you immediately get into the atmosphere of the story. The story is a good example of how everything, every detail, is important. It is crucial to understand that Usher's senses are over-active and therefore cannot be trusted and that he expects to be ill more than he is actually ill. It explains a lot of what happens later on.

Roderick also has a sister, who falls into cataleptical shocks, which means her body becomes rigid and unresponsive. This contributed to one of the most horrific moments in this story. Poe also mentions the heart again: 'Do I not distinguish that heavy and horrible beating of her heart?' It seems that he saw the heart as something treacherous that pops up in the most unfortunate of moments. This has been called Poe's best prose story and I must agree, so far, because never before have I seen a story so well crafted and executed. For example, read the next couple of lines.

There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart—an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the imagination could torture into aught of the sublime.

How perfectly does Poe describe the feeling of fear and terror? This story deals with so many emotions and especially with how a mind can cause itself to go crazy. And here is where I see a comparison to 'The Tell-Tale Heart'. It's narrator caused himself to go crazy as well and again it has something to do with family.

So, how do you feel about this story? Does its intense description of emotion and landscape scare you off or does it sound like your cup of tea? And don't forget, tomorrow's story is 'The Cask of Amontillado'.

Review: The Tell-Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe.

2012-01-15T16:06:00.000-08:00

Edgar Allan Poe's birthday is on the 19th and today we are starting the Poe-Week with a review of 'The Tell-Tale Heart'. I will not be rating these stories.

First some general info:
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
Publishing date: January 1843
Published as: a periodical in The Pioneer.

So, let's get to the review. In this short story the narrator, most likely a man, tries to convince the reader of his sanity. He goes into detail, describing exactly how he killed an old man that lived with him. As he says:

One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fellupon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I made up my mind to take the life of the old man,and thus rid myself of the eye forever.

I really enjoyed this story, as much as you can enjoy a story about a psychopath. Our unnamed man is looking back on the murder and on his own cleverness in covering the crime up (by disassembling the man) when he is visited by police officers. I won't tell what happens afterwards because ruining the plot would be awful. Throughout the 10 pages you really start feeling the narrator's insanity.

The introduction in itself is brilliant. Immediately you can guess something is off and that the narrator isn't half as sane as he believes.

I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily--how calmly I can tell you the whole story.

There have been a lot of guesses as to what the relationship between the narrator and the old man was, since it is never explained. However, looking at Edgar's relationship's with his father, who abandoned his family when he was 1, and his strange relationship with his "adoptive" father who was on the one hand spoiling him and on the other almost aggressive in his discipline. Perhaps Edgar always felt the two looking over him and perhaps hindering him, which led him to writing this.

So, have you read 'The Tell-Tale Heart'? And don't forget, tomorrow I will review 'The Fall of the House of Usher'.

Sincerely,

Listen up, Poe fans!

2012-01-15T07:07:00.000-08:00

No, I did not misspell Pooh, I mean Edgar Allan Poe. He was born on the 19th of January in 1809 and I decided that I would spend this week reviewing 5 of his short stories!

This is what the schedule looks like:
Monday: 'The Tell-Tale Heart'
Tuesday: 'The Fall of the House of Usher'
Wednesday: 'The Casque of Amantadilo'
Thursday: 'The Raven' (I thought that this classic would be suitable for his birthday)
Friday: 'The Masque of the Red Death'

If you are a Poe fan and want to join me in talking about and reviewing some of his works, just enter the Linky below!

Review: 'A Room With a View' by E.M. Forster

2012-01-14T07:06:00.000-08:00

My topic in English this year is 'Love Through The Ages', which means I am allowed to re-read books such as 'Pride & Prejudice' and 'Jane Eyre' and call it school work. One of the books I had to read that was new to me though was 'A Room With A View' by E.M. Forster.

It was published in 1908 at the beginning of the so called Edwardian Era, which followed the Victorian period. The latter was a very repressive era, whereas the Edwardian period was much more about self-exploration and independence, especially for women. In this book Forster shows these opposing social ideals and how they influence a young woman called Lucy Honeychurch.

The story is separated into 2 "books". The first is set in Florence, where Lucy is doing a Grand Tour, and the second in England, where she lives. A Grand Tour was usually reserved for men, but that changed in the Edwardian period and Lucy went to Florence to expand her cultural knowledge. She is accompanied by Ms. Bartlett, who is somewhat of a spinster. She represents the Victorian values in the book, always telling Lucy how to behave and what to do. Lucy has completely accepted this and seems almost void of any actual feelings, until she meets George Emerson, a working class young man.

Forster beautifully crafts their affection for each other in such a way that we as a reader know exactly what is going on but that we can also see Lucy's confusion at these ne feelings she does not understand. His use of language, especially when describing nature is beautiful. Forster has been known and criticized for his love for symbolism. I very much enjoyed it, because it meant he spent enough time on description, which many books lack. Also, his characters formed perfect oppositions to each other. The two Emersons seemed so free and wise in our eyes, whereas Ms. Bartlett and Cecil seemed old-fashioned and aged.

The love story is a truly typical one, but executed in such a way you are never quite sure whether what you are expecting will actually happen. Therefore the end is both surprising and gratifying as a reader. Forster even wrote an appendix for his novel because he felt he wanted to share what he thought would happen to his characters after the novel finished.

All in all, this is a truly enjoyable book, even though it needs some getting into. His characters are funny, especially the way they talk about each other, and he describes Florence in such a way that I cannot wait to go travel there myself. I do think that perhaps Forster should have been less severe on Ms. Bartlett. Although he does redeem her in the end, we despise her throughout the largest part of the novel.

I give this book...

5 UNIVERSES!!!

Despite being harsh on some characters, Forster brilliantly describes the clash between two different periods and different schools of thinking. His skill in symbolism and imagery is stunning and creates pages of writing that are fascinating to read.

A Will To Murder, by Hilary Thomson

2012-01-07T04:22:00.000-08:00

Today I would like to share a book with you I wished I could have accepted for review! Why am I so busy?
This is 'A Will To Murder' by Hilary Thomson.

"When wealthy and eccentric patriarch James Boyle dies a peculiardeath, the DA declines to investigate, convinced that the victim diedof natural causes. Yet even the police are stunned when members of theBoyle family gather at the estate of Rollingwood for the reading ofJames' will--and begin to die, one at a time. Only when long-lostrelative Bradley Smith appears, along with reporter Eric Maxwell, dothe mysterious deaths finally receive a proper investigation. Even so,no one is prepared for the lunacy that hides beneath the mansion'sbizarre facade."

Amazon & Barnes & Nobles

Doesn't that sounds good?

First Friday of 2012

2012-01-06T06:10:00.000-08:00

It's Friday, which means its meme and blog-hopping time!!

First it's Follow Friday, hosted by Alison Can Read. Don't forget to follow the Friday Feature: Pawing Through Books!

Go count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many?

Oh help. I think if I just look at books I have not finished but only started I am already on about 30 books. And then to add the books I have not looked into yet, then in total I would say about 50?

And then there are books and papers on my Kindle that I haven't read. These are mostly classics that I save for when I have some moments of rest to completely emerge myself into 'Anna Karenina', or 'War and Peace' etc. How many of those there are I dread to imagine. The Gutenberg Project is to me what Net-a-Porter is to other!

Book Beginnings is hosted by A Few More Pages.

I am reading 'A Room With a View' by E.M. Forster so I decided to use that for the next two memes!

"THE SIGNORA had no business to do it,” said Miss Bartlett, “no business at all. She promised us south rooms with a view close together, instead of which here are north rooms, looking into a courtyard, and a long way apart. Oh, Lucy!"

Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

“No, I agree,” said Miss Lavish. “It’s like a school feast; the boys have got separated from the girls. Miss Lucy, you are to go. We wish to converse on high topics unsuited for your ear.”

So, what are your answers?

'Beat The Band'

2012-01-04T06:30:00.000-08:00

Don Calame is back with his follow up to YA hit ‘Swim The Fly’ this coming February with ‘Beat the Band’. This time we see the return of Coop, Matt and Sean as they embark upon achieving Rock God status. The boys need to win a schoolBattle of the Band’s competition if they are to claim back any form of reputation and coolness following an incident with ‘Hot Dog’ Helen and a safe sex class project.

With the release of the book in February 2012, there will also be a booktour. And...there is a book trailer! Check it out below!

The Magic That Was Disney

2012-01-03T13:36:00.000-08:00

Check out a new post on 'A Universe in Pictures and Melody' about the artwork in some of my favourite Disney movies.

'The Hobbit' trailer has landed!

2011-12-21T06:05:00.000-08:00

The trailer for 'The Hobbit' was released and I do not think I can describe my excitement! It is simply amazing! It is just great so see Ian McKellen, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis and Cate Blanchett in their old roles again and it looks like the new cast is brilliant. And may I warn you before you start watching the glory below that from 0:52 on the Dwarfs start singing their song and it is very haunting. It seems to be a mix between those Christian hymns and old heathen songs. I absolutely love it.

Also, the settings look beautiful again, especially the darker ones. And I am really happy Ian McKellen has such a big role! I realise that for many people it will not come near the book and that it will add new fuel to the debate about how movies are ruining books for people etc, but as a true fan of the books I just love seeing them come alive, even if it is not how I would have done it! There should be room for everyone's interpretation, n'est pas?

So, how excited are you? And isn't Martin Freeman a perfect Hobbit?

This Friday...

2011-12-16T02:42:00.000-08:00

... will be my last in the UK, for this year! I'm leaving for the Netherlands to celebrate Christmas and New Year! What are your plans?
Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read. This week's Follow Feature is Once Upon A Time.

When you've read a book, what do you do with it? (Keep it, give it away, donate it, sell it, swap it..?)

Eeerm, depends on what kind of book it is. I always keep books that were sent to me to review, because often the books aren't published yet and the author doesn't want it to be given to others. Books I personally buy I usually keep , unless I try to get my sister or my friends to read them.

Book Beginnings is hosted by A Few More Pages.

This week I chose 'Only You Can Save Mankind' by Terry Pratchett. If you have not read anything by him you really should, because he really has a great writing style with a lot of wit.

'Johnny bit his lip, and concentrated.
Right. Come in quick, let a missile target itself - beep beep beebeebeebeeb - on the first fighter, fire the missile -thwump - empty the guns at the fighter - fplat fplat fplat fplat - hit fighter No. 2 and take out its shields with the laser - bwizzle - while the missile - pwwosh - takes out fighter No. 1, dive, switch guns, rake fighter No. 3 as it turns fplat fplat fplat fplat - pick up fighter No. 2 in the sights again up the upcurve, let go a missile - thwump - and rake it with - '

Well, this will definitely take some time to get used to. Although the fight sounds are slightly over to top they do make sense if you say the out loud! (Don't try this at work, you will look silly!)

Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

'He switched off the screen and turned his ship away from the fleet. He half expected the Captain to send some fighters after him, but she did not. She didn't so anything.'

So, what do you think? Don't hesitate to leave a link in the comments!

And a happy weekend everyone!!