Author Liesel K. Hill's Musings on Fantasia...
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Book Review: Ender's Game + NaNo Updates!
I didn't mention it yet, I don't think, but I'm trying to finish the second book in my Street Games series for NaNo. I'd started writing it before November, but I only had about 5,000 words. I think it will be longer than 55,000--more in the 70-90,000 range, but I think I can finish it, or if not that, come very close.
I'm tentatively calling book 2 Desolate Mantle.
Yesterday, I wrote 4898 words, which puts me at 12303 for NaNo and 25,997 for the novel.
For more info on book 1, Dark Remnants, click the link. It's currently priced at $0.99, though that will probably change when I finish book 2.
Meanwhile, I did manage to finish a book last week! (Yeah!)
I finally got around to reading Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card! I could swear I read this book as a kid, but now I kind of don't think so. Maybe I picked it up but never actually read it. I have a pretty good memory and I think it would seem at least vaguely familiar to me if I'd read it before. And it didn't. Not at all.
But, no worries. I have now read it and actually saw the film right afterward, over the weekend. I'll review it here tomorrow, so come back to see what I thought.
As for the book, I freakin' loved it! I didn't go into it thinking I'd like it so much. It's was just fascinating! I'm not very familiar with Card's work, despite knowing very well who he is (we share a religion) but I can say now with absolute confidence that Orson Scott Card is a genius.
Ender is the youngest of three children. But he lives in a society that limits most families to two children in order to control the population. His parents had to get special permission to have him. He thinks they only did it to put him into school. Card does a good job of showing that, even though Ender thinks his parents never truly wanted him, the opposite was most likely true. Ender just can't see it. When he is asked to join battle school, he feels obligated to do so, so that as a "Third" he will not be an embarrassment to his parents.
There's a lot of sadness in this book from the get-go. Ender's older brother, Peter, is mean and violent, showing serial killer tendencies such as killing small animals. Between him, and other bullies at school, Ender gets beat up a lot. He's small, but smarter than most, which is why he makes it to battle school and why he's often the object of bullying. There were parts that brought me to tears. (I'm looking at you, scene-with-Valentine-on-the-lake).
This may sound like a typical anti-bullying middle grade read, but it's not. Not at all. The science is interesting, but it's really being inside Ender's head and seeing him run through all his strategy that makes the book truly addictive. The characters are young children (Ender is six as the book begins) but they are so intelligent, that they think like adults. So they have more book smarts than most normal adults will attain in their lifetimes, but they still have the emotional vulnerability of children. Sorry to keep quoting Mr. Spock, but simply fascinating. I really couldn't put this book down. I totally loved it and would recommend it to absolutely anyone. Totally gonna go shove it down my younger brothers' throats and tell them to read it or no Thanksgiving pie for them! Okay, I really won't. I'm not that mean. But I am going to tell them to read it. Because everyone should read this book once. Especially young boys.
That, and I need someone to geek out about it with. :D So yeah, go read this one. And then you can see the film. :D Come back tomorrow for my review of that story medium for this book. :D
Has anyone else read Ender's Game? How did you like it?
I'm tentatively calling book 2 Desolate Mantle.
Yesterday, I wrote 4898 words, which puts me at 12303 for NaNo and 25,997 for the novel.
For more info on book 1, Dark Remnants, click the link. It's currently priced at $0.99, though that will probably change when I finish book 2.
Meanwhile, I did manage to finish a book last week! (Yeah!)
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But, no worries. I have now read it and actually saw the film right afterward, over the weekend. I'll review it here tomorrow, so come back to see what I thought.
As for the book, I freakin' loved it! I didn't go into it thinking I'd like it so much. It's was just fascinating! I'm not very familiar with Card's work, despite knowing very well who he is (we share a religion) but I can say now with absolute confidence that Orson Scott Card is a genius.
Ender is the youngest of three children. But he lives in a society that limits most families to two children in order to control the population. His parents had to get special permission to have him. He thinks they only did it to put him into school. Card does a good job of showing that, even though Ender thinks his parents never truly wanted him, the opposite was most likely true. Ender just can't see it. When he is asked to join battle school, he feels obligated to do so, so that as a "Third" he will not be an embarrassment to his parents.
There's a lot of sadness in this book from the get-go. Ender's older brother, Peter, is mean and violent, showing serial killer tendencies such as killing small animals. Between him, and other bullies at school, Ender gets beat up a lot. He's small, but smarter than most, which is why he makes it to battle school and why he's often the object of bullying. There were parts that brought me to tears. (I'm looking at you, scene-with-Valentine-on-the-lake).
This may sound like a typical anti-bullying middle grade read, but it's not. Not at all. The science is interesting, but it's really being inside Ender's head and seeing him run through all his strategy that makes the book truly addictive. The characters are young children (Ender is six as the book begins) but they are so intelligent, that they think like adults. So they have more book smarts than most normal adults will attain in their lifetimes, but they still have the emotional vulnerability of children. Sorry to keep quoting Mr. Spock, but simply fascinating. I really couldn't put this book down. I totally loved it and would recommend it to absolutely anyone. Totally gonna go shove it down my younger brothers' throats and tell them to read it or no Thanksgiving pie for them! Okay, I really won't. I'm not that mean. But I am going to tell them to read it. Because everyone should read this book once. Especially young boys.
That, and I need someone to geek out about it with. :D So yeah, go read this one. And then you can see the film. :D Come back tomorrow for my review of that story medium for this book. :D
Has anyone else read Ender's Game? How did you like it?
Monday, November 11, 2013
It's Monday: What does YOUR week look like + NaNo Updates!
Good Monday Morning, All! I hope everyone had a safe, wonderful weekend. I was quite busy, though happily, I managed to accomplish plenty of work and also play a little. My sister and I did some early Christmas shopping and tons of holiday planning, but we also saw not one, but two films Yea! I don't think I've been to the movies since the summer. The last thing I remember seeing in the theaters was The Great Gatsby, and that was quite some time ago!
Anyway, this post is just to say good morning, wish everyone a great week, and also say that my posts for the rest of the month will probably more sparse than usual. I don't think I mentioned it at all last week, but I"m participating in NaNoWriMo. I had a fairly normal posting schedule last week, but that's only because I wrote up most of last week's posts days before NaNo started. Now, I'm in the thick of it, already behind on my word count, and the holidays are coming at us faster than I can believe.
So...if I'm a bit absent over the next few weeks--less commenting, less interaction, and the like--that's why. I may do simple, paragraph-long posts each day to give updates on NaNo and other small things, but that's all. For right now, I have 7,405 words written. A bit behind, as you can see (I should have roughly double that by now) but I hope to get caught up this week. Wish me luck! So, everyone have a great week, good luck to everyone participating in NaNo, and wish me luck as well!
Cheers! :D
Anyone else doing NaNo? How's it going?
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Anyway, this post is just to say good morning, wish everyone a great week, and also say that my posts for the rest of the month will probably more sparse than usual. I don't think I mentioned it at all last week, but I"m participating in NaNoWriMo. I had a fairly normal posting schedule last week, but that's only because I wrote up most of last week's posts days before NaNo started. Now, I'm in the thick of it, already behind on my word count, and the holidays are coming at us faster than I can believe.
So...if I'm a bit absent over the next few weeks--less commenting, less interaction, and the like--that's why. I may do simple, paragraph-long posts each day to give updates on NaNo and other small things, but that's all. For right now, I have 7,405 words written. A bit behind, as you can see (I should have roughly double that by now) but I hope to get caught up this week. Wish me luck! So, everyone have a great week, good luck to everyone participating in NaNo, and wish me luck as well!
Cheers! :D
Anyone else doing NaNo? How's it going?
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Lord of Chaos Read-Along, Week 4
Welcome to week 4 of our Lord of Chaos Read-Along! This week we read chapters 12-16. Remember everything in this section as well as everything that's come before is fair game for spoilers, so read at your own risk!!!
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Thoughts for Thursday: Gratitude
Just have fun, collect awesome sayings by awesome people, and try to be inspired!
I can't believe the holiday are upon us! Where has the year gone? I'll probably do a special Thanksgiving T4T, but today I thought I might just focus on Gratitude in general, since we all ought to practice it all through the holidays. (For more quotes, check out my other blog.)
Monday, November 4, 2013
Eleanor Cover Reveal + Top Ten Tuesday: Great Sequels
My Top Ten Tuesday list is below, but first, my good friend and fellow JFP Author Johnny Worthen is revealing the cover for his upcoming young adult, paranormal novel, Eleanor.
“Eleanor is a modest girl, unremarkable but extraordinary, young but old, malleable but fixed. She is scared and confused. She is a liar and a thief. Eleanor is not what she appears to be.”
Also check out Beatrysel by Johnny Worthen!
Isn't this cover beautiful?
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!
Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.
Top 10 Sequels I Can't Wait to Get My Hands On (all covers courtesy of goodreads.com unless otherwise linked)
Also check out Beatrysel by Johnny Worthen!
Isn't this cover beautiful?
Top Ten Tuesday
Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.
Top 10 Sequels I Can't Wait to Get My Hands On (all covers courtesy of goodreads.com unless otherwise linked)
Chapter Review: Excerpt of The Winds of Winter by George R.R. Martin
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Though I'm a huge fan of Martin's series, and just enough of a sucker that I'll always read any new books he puts out, the last two books, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons, were pretty much collosal disappointments (the former more so than the latter). Added to the fact that Martin has a history of 5-6 years on average between installments, and I get why fans are frustrated.
Now, with the HBO series in full swing, and the series more popular and talked about than ever, Martin needs to come up with something utterly amazing to redeem himself in the eyes of his fans. Goodreads.com still lists the expected release date of The Winds of Winter as 2015, but here's hoping for a miracle (i.e. an earlier release date). If an author as successful as Martin can't pull it off, none of the rest of us have a prayer!
Still, I decided that I wanted to read the excerpt. Just to see what, if anything, I can tell that Martin has in store for us. Here's what I thought:
Even when I do my usual book and film reviews, I generally don't do a star rating system of any kind, but if I had to give this excerpt a rating, I'd go with 2.5 or 3 out of 5 stars.
I thought the writing was very good and it put me right back into the story. But, did it leave something to be desired? Yes.
The excerpt is from Arianne's point of view. She's the daughter of the Dornish king and those who've read the books know she's tried her hand at conspiracy before with disastrous results. (*Mild spoiler: the whole Princess Myrcella gets ugly fiasco.*) Now, at least partly due to the consequences of that attempt, her father has sent her with a retinue to meet a man who claims to be the assumed-dead Hand of the now-dead-and-deposed Mad King, Aerys Targaryen. Most of those with her think it's just a sell sword, pretending to be the Hand (a man by the name of Jon Connington) and trying to capitalize on it, but Arianne has hopes that perhaps the man truly did survive. Overall, this excerpt is her thoughts during her journey and musings about what is going on around her. We don't see her arrive at her destination, and there's relatively little action in the snippet.
Good points: As I said, the writing is good, and for not having much action, I was never bored. Also, I will admit that reading this made me eager to find out what will happen when she comes face to face with the alleged Connington. I want to know if he is who he says he is, what he proposes to do to help Prince Doran (Arianne's father) and what all will happen next. Kudos for that, Mr. Martin.
Negative Points.: Unfortunately, there are a few.
1) I reiterate: not much actually happens and we aren't given much clue as to what book 6 has in store for us.
2) No one cares that much about this story line at present. This is a side story about characters we aren't very invested in as yet. Now, if the consequences of this little rendezvous play into the bigger, overall plot; if they affect Daenerys or the Starks in some major way, then we'll care very much. Of course, that all depends on what happens when Arianne reaches her destination, and where Martin takes the thread from there.
3) It's not what we really want to know about. If Martin really wanted to excite his fans for book 6, he'd give us a snippet about Arya, Bran, Jon Snow, or the dragon queen. I'd even be excited to read about Brienne, myself. (Though AFfC was a disappointment, it did help me fall in love with Brienne's character.)
Overall, for what it was, the excerpt was a fun read, and I enjoyed it. I'm still excited for the release of book 6, whenever it decides to get it's spine in gear and park itself on shelves, real or digital.
But, could Martin have put a little more effort into throwing his die hard fans a bone? Yeah, I think he could have.
Has anyone else read this excerpt? What did or do you think based on my review?
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Lord of Chaos Read-Along, Week 3
Welcome to week 3 of our Lord of Chaos Read-Along. This week we read chapters 7-11. Remember that everything in this section as well as everything that's come before is fair game for spoilers, so read at your own risk!
I think it's funny when people just briefly touch T'A'R and you get some insight into their dreams. It always makes me smile. Elaida's Foretellings are supposed to be all truth, and she usually knows what they mean, so there must be at least some truth to it. But Elaida's the kind of woman who is capable of lying to herself--and believing it--even when the truth is staring her in the face. So, if I were the Salidar Aes Sedai, I'd take it with a grain of salt.
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| Nightmare Dreamscape Source |
I never think anything like that is a coincidence, even if it seems to be explained pretty well. It seems to me that perhaps Elaida--or more likely, one of the Forsaken--realize that others are starting to learn more about how to survive in T'A'R, which up until now has been almost entirely their turf, and so they've set a few nasty booby traps to ensnare unwary Dreamwalkers.
I thought Elayne's actions were pretty risky. She had more faith in those Aes Sedai than I would. I don't think I'd trust them enough to put myself at risk like that, and just hope they could "believe" themselves out of it. It worked for her, though, so I suppose kudos to her.
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I wouldn't put anything past the Red Ajah. And in a way, it makes sense. For their ajah to continue to appear needed, they need false dragons that appear threatening, but that they can then pull down. Besides, having already been gentled, Logain doesn't have much more to lose, or much to gain by lying. Revenge, perhaps, but why would he need revenge unless his claims are true?
How will they react? Well, the Tower is already broken, but if it weren't, this would have probably caused enough division to do the job. Any way you slice it--whether because of deception on the Reds' part or because the world must now accept the true dragon, a man who can channel, I think it's safe to say the order of the Red Ajah is on its way out.
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| Sebban Balwer Source |
Ah the Whitecloaks. Niall is a smart guy, but like most other powerful men in the world, he's deluding himself but the reality of his situation. He seems to think he has all the time in the world--maybe how strongly he emphasized that ought to be a foreshadowing in itself--and, while he does want to prepare the world for Tarmon Gaidon, he seems to think that he himself will be leading it. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say, probably not, Dude. Also like most others, he tends to believe the things that are most convenient for him, though he's more realistic than some rulers, which is sad in itself. :D
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| Morgase Trakand Source |
The answers seemed honest enough. We can see the title, which has emphasized several times since the book began, in his answers. Wars and refugees, the whole world changing from what it was in book 1. This is Rand's influence being seen on a world-wide scale.
The best thing for Morgase to do at this point is to find some way to escape and make a clean break. As the readers, we know Niall plans to hold her captive until she breaks, so obviously he's not interested in actually helping her, but I can't help but think even she must see this by now. If he was going to help her, he would have already. The longer she stays under his thumb, the harder it will be to resist his plans for her. One can only hope she can find the courage and the opportunity to get out from under the Whitecloaks' influence.
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| Verin and Alanna Source |
It's always interesting to watch Verin's decisions. Keep an eye on that one. Obviously Alanna is still a bit unstable since the loss of her warder. There's really only two choices for them to make at this point: to take the girls to Salidar, or to the Tower. It'll be one or the other.
Rand, as usual, is a bit too much of a gentleman. I think I would have slapped Alanna silly for what she did (you know, assuming I could channel against her and everything). I mean, talk about guy rape. The Aes Sedai always compare bonding a man without his permission to rape, but Alanna has no trouble walking right up to Rand and, you know, victimizing him. Obviously not the moral of women. Now he'll have to deal with her spying on his sensations and emotions. Awkward.
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| Mazrim Taim Source |
This is kind of a double-edged sword. Taim is willing to help Rand build his saidin-channeling army, which is what Rand wants. But he's definitely doing it for his own glory. I do think, for right now, he's trying to make himself indispensable which could work out in Rand's favor. But, the second Taim gets a taste of power, I wouldn't put it past him to start building up worshipers of number one again. So, I guess we'll just have to see how it plays out.
Extras:
Not many extras for me this week. There was some funny stuff with Nynaeve--her sneaking up on people, then getting mad at others for sneaking up on her; saying she only hopes Lan is okay, even if he's forgotten her, then deciding if he has she'll kill him herself; typical Nynaeve stuff. And we saw that an emissary has arrived. Wouldn't you just love to be a fly on the wall in that meeting?
Mostly, though, this felt like a setting-up section. I'm excited to get a bit more deeply into the action.
How did everyone else like this section?
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