tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63592622220119623172024-03-05T17:06:06.675+05:30AmalgamationA world with endless possibilities.Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-45593034928283267752013-11-17T16:35:00.000+05:302013-11-17T16:35:31.250+05:30The House of Hades - Rick Riordan's Best Yet!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"At the conclusion of The Mark of Athena, Annabeth and Percy tumble into a pit leading straight to the Underworld. The other five demigods have to put aside their grief and follow Percy’s instructions to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death. If they can fight their way through the Gaea’s forces, and Percy and Annabeth can survive the House of Hades, then the Seven will be able to seal the Doors both sides and prevent the giants from raising Gaea. But, Leo wonders, if the Doors are sealed, how will Percy and Annabeth be able to escape?<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They have no choice. If the demigods don’t succeed, Gaea’s armies will never die. They have no time. In about a month, the Romans will march on Camp Half-Blood. The stakes are higher than ever in this adventure that dives into the depths of Tartarus"</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The House of Hades is by far one of the most gripping tales Riordan has written in his Percy Jackson world not to mention the darkest book in the series. It is full of terrible monsters, nail-biting fights, and horrific psychological thrills. Not only do our heroes have to face beasts that they've already defeated once before, but they must face their own true fears — something that can be just as incapacitating as a physical wound.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While we already know our main characters well, having met some of them nine books ago now, sometimes they still manage to surprise us. For fans who find Annabeth and Percy’s relationship endearing, this book will serve to strengthen their affection of the couple, who somehow find a way to love each other even through the darkest depths of Tartarus. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Going into it, I expected it to be fully narrated by the Romans with Percy and Annabeth taking turns, so I was really surprised (and thrilled) to see that Leo and Piper also had the chance to narrate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As for the other characters that we may think we know, it’s interesting to see another side to them. Assumptions will be broken and some will find themselves walking down a completely different path than they might have expected. Each person is written with care as secrets are revealed and friendships continue to blossom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Firstly, thank Mr. Riordan for finally turning Frank into someone worth voting for. I've always felt like Frank and Hazel have been really underdeveloped, so I really enjoyed seeing them brought more fully into the series' story. I never thought I'd see the day, but I was actually freaking out at the epicness of Frank Zhang's battle skills at the end there. He definitely doesn't feel wimpy now, which is a relief. As for Hazel.... She had an interesting story and I enjoyed it. I think it's a smart move on Riordan's part to connect her skills to someone other than Pluto/Hades.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Without a shadow of a doubt, I do not hesitate to say that Leo had the most enjoyable storyline. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My biggest disappointment was definitely the lack of Jason and Piper. Narrative wise, Jason had two turns and Piper only had one, never mind the fact that Annabeth and Percy (two already-developed characters and a fully-developed couple) had like half the book. All I have to say is that they had better have more narrative in the last book than Percy and Annabeth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jason was hardly even mentioned until two hundred pages in. We were finally seeing what people like Hazel and Nico thought of Jason and I've been excited for that but he hardly had a part at all. As for Piper, she was treated as a minor character, pretty darn close to how Reyna was handled in this book. Not cool. I'm slightly frustrated with the lack of development and inclusion for Jason and Piper. But if the fifth book is going to have less Percy and Annabeth and more Jason and Piper, then I guess that's okay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The biggest issue I had with this book was Percy and Annabeth's storyline. I'll be honest, I down right dreaded it sometimes. I know this sounds strange (it does to me) but I found Tartarus to actually be the dullest parts of the book. But instead of blaming this on my dislike for Annabeth, I actually have a real logical reason.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Percy and Annabeth are both already fully-developed characters. It seemed liked I was reading their part of the story only because it was part of the over all plot. Someone had to close the Doors of Death in Tartarus. But there wasn't really any character or story development with them. Everyone else in this book (even Coach Hedge) had more development than Percy and Annabeth, whose developemt I'd wager was pretty close to zero. I know people love them as a couple, and believe me, I want them to stay that way, but they've had a whole series. I just don't really see anything left to discover for either character.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm glad that we were able to see bits and pieces of what was going on with the Roman and Greek camps - definitely interesting. I actually, kind of wish the final battle could take place back where both camps could participate. And, oh man, Octavian just... I like Frank's suggestion. Catapult him, Reyna. DO IT! I really don't want to see either camp destroyed by each other or Giants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There were moments when I felt like the characters were unnecessarily oblivious though. Hint, Nico's statement about the Athena Parthenos at the end there in connection with the fact that Giants can't be destroyed without the combined effort of a demigod and a god. I read said statement and was like, oh duh! So, yes, I did mentally say duh sometimes but not too often.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As for Piper's guesses about the Prophecy, I'm not really buying into the someone's going to die statements. I honestly don't think any of the main characters will die on us. These prophecies never work out the way we expect or are led to believe, so I'm not that concerned with someone we love dying (that includes Jason and Piper, people). But the other statements might have some real substance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">House of Hades could not come any more highly recommended for fans of the Percy Jackson world, and we’re sure that everyone — myself included — will be impatiently biding our time until the fifth and final book, The Blood of Olympus, is released next year.</span></div>
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Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.0524139 80.25082459999998712.5573929 79.605377599999983 13.547434899999999 80.896271599999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-84715126118598797392013-07-28T20:22:00.000+05:302013-07-28T20:22:04.350+05:30Shiva Trilogy - Oath of The Vayuputras : A Less than Fitting Conclusion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"Shiva is gathering his forces. He reaches the Naga capital, Panchavati, and Evil is finally revealed. The Neelkanth prepares for a holy war against his true enemy, a man whose name instils dread in the fiercest warriors. </blockquote>
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India convulses under the onslaught of a series of brutal battles. It’s a war for the very soul of the nation. Many will die. But Shiva must not fail, no matter what the cost. In his desperation, he reaches out to the ones who have never offered any help to him: the Vayuputras.</blockquote>
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Will he succeed? And what will be the real cost of battling Evil? To India? And to Shiva’s soul?"</blockquote>
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<a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1357242702l/12820793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1357242702l/12820793.jpg" width="280" /></a>After ‘The Immortals of Meluha’ and ‘The Secret of the Nagas’, book lovers across the country have eagerly awaited Amish Tripathi’s ‘The Oath of The Vayuputras’. On reading the two books, many questions have been formulated in our minds. Decisions are yet to be taken and some paths are yet to be trotted upon. Amish Tripathi has promised to tie a knot to all loose ends in this book that completes the trilogy. Does he deliver as he says?</div>
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The Neelkanth is in search of the evil bothering the nation. In his quest, he joins hands with the Meluhans, the Swadeepans and the Nagas. These three races, which are known for their rivalry and enmity, put all differences aside and accept the different ways of life. The uptight and ‘true to their word’ Suryavanshis, and the passionate and follow their free will’ Chandravanshis mingle with each other and exchange their ideas to strengthen Shiva’s troop. The out casted Nagas also get accepted as mere humans who are good in intentions but left bitter by their own flaws. The Vasudevs lead Shiva in the quest of true evil, an evil that shocks everyone.</div>
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An evil which has always been there among them, unrecognized. An evil which has divided the races and caused hostility among people from the same mother land. It stirs chaos among families and loyalties are questioned. Love comes in between the goal, causing more complications and making it simpler. Some courageous characters fight still the last drop of blood, to protect their people and eradicate evil. Some give in to their cowardly vices and betray their cause. As a well-planned and organized war goes wrong, Shiva is left with just one option – The Vayuputras.</div>
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Amish Tripathi writes for the mind and the soul. While the philosophies stir the minds, the emotions touch the soul. He has portrayed different relations between characters well. Though Daksha wants to destroy Shiva, his protectiveness for his daughter Sati stops him from attacking the group. Bhagirath is constantly worried about his sister, Anandmayi and ensures that no harm falls upon her. Parvateshwar’s respect for Shiva is reciprocated well, though they choose different sides. Ganesh places trust on his younger brother, Karthik, to lead a fight.</div>
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Tripathi is an ace when it comes to description. The picturistic words used to describe intricate designs and architecture shows that he not only cares about the details, but savours it. The dialogues used are so powerful and thought incepting. He has given a scientific angle to many symbols and practices, which has some truth to it. Mythological elements are present in a different light. The parallelism drawn to the stories we have grown listening to is fascinating. One example I find very astonishing is how he explains about the plague in Branga, which could be related to a concentration of cancer cases in Bengal in a modern day world.</div>
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First of all, let's give credit where it's due. Amish has successfully created a great universe of Ancient India and has tied it quite nicely with all of our mythology. From that perspective, the buildup of the last two books, as far as the story goes, was also quite good. </div>
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But, in the end, that's where the brilliance of the trilogy ends. </div>
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I hate it when a book or a movie ends badly. I don't mean tragically, or in a way that is different than I expected. I simply mean a bad ending. Where you get a sense that the author did not really know how to conclude so he or she just wrapped it up somehow. In this book, you get a sense that the author always knew what the epilogue was going to be, and that is not bad. But the conclusion is what should have been thought out better. Far better. What happens more or less negates everything else that the book was leading up to. And plus the whole climax hinged on the stupidity of one single character. When that happens, you know that the ending is forced.</div>
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The other big problem I had with the book is that Shiva really doesn't do much in this book at all. He is simply roaming around India and is a part of only one battle where the enemies were anyways vastly outnumbered. So the premise of the trilogy - a mortal human becoming a God for the people due to his deeds - is in the end just lip service.</div>
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Besides these two big problems, there were several smaller problems throughout the book. Karthik, who was born in the second book is a brilliant strategist, warrior and leader in this book. It's very difficult to follow the time that has passed in the book. A f</div>
ew people are randomly righteous, moral, idiotic, brilliant at the switch of the author's buttons. The author gets too fixated trying to explain engineering and scientific marvels. The title is totally redundant - the so-called oath of vayuputras plays a very small role in the book. Several events in the book are forced. Especially things that drive war events. Language of the book is really terrible. English itself is fine. But contemporary colloquial English did nothing to set the mood of the period.<br />
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So, all in all, not that great a trilogy. The details were too much; a little air of mystery could have been maintained. A story like this deserved a better ending than it got. I am not discouraging anyone from reading the book; you should read it anyway, especially if you have been bombarded with bed time stories on Shiva, Devi and Ganpati.</div>
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Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com4Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.0524139 80.25082459999998713.0524139 80.250824599999987 13.0524139 80.250824599999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-42130530184930544352013-06-08T15:19:00.000+05:302013-06-08T15:19:28.474+05:30Heir Chronicles - A Perfect Blend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Warrior Heir :</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></b><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Before he knew about the Roses, 16-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity. Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high-schoolers. Then one day Jack skips his medicine. Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before. And it feels great—until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer team tryouts.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself: He is Weirlind; part of an underground society of magical people who live among us. At the head of this magical society sit the feuding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose, whose power is determined by playing The Game—a magical tournament in which each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death. The winning house rules the Weir. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">As if his bizarre magical heritage isn’t enough, Jack finds out that he’s not just another member of Weirlind—he’s one of the last of the warriors—at a time when both houses are scouting for a player.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jackson Swift (Jack) has always had a normal life in the small college town of Trinity, Ohio. The only difference between the 16-year-old and his fellow classmates has been the star-shaped scar on his chest and the medicine he is required to take daily. Strange events begin to take place, however, after Jack forgets to take his medicine one day. When a rival named Garrett Lobeck tries to start a fight with Jack during soccer tryouts, Jack defends himself sending Lobeck flying across the soccer field.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then his strange but cool Aunt Linda pays an unexpected visit to Jack and his mother, Becka. Aunt Linda decides to take her nephew/godson on a road trip to look up some of their family's genealogy. Jack invites his loyal friends Will and Fitch to join the expedition. What is supposed to be a tedious fact-finding mission turns into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, when the three guys discover that Linda is being stalked by a man looking to steal a family heirloom. Jack suspects that there is more to his aunt's story, but decides to help her locate the sought-after heirloom. The three friends get more than they bargain for during a night of digging around an old cemetery when they are attacked shortly after Jack uncovers a medieval sword that contains remarkable powers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The road trip changes everything for Jack, and the truth about his heritage is slowly revealed. His Aunt Linda is an Enchanter and Jack is Weirlind, a member of an underground society of magical people that has been ruled by the feuding wizarding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose for centuries. The feuding houses determine who rules the Weir and its magical artifacts by playing the Game, a deadly tournament in which each house sponsors a Warrior to fight for their supremacy. Unfortunately for Jack, he is unique even by Weir standards and is a prime target as each of the houses scout for a new player by any means necessary. Fortunately for Jack he has some help on his side, which includes his old friend, the knowledgeable caretaker Nicodemus Snowbeard, and the mysterious new assistant principal Mr. Hastings, who teaches Jack the ways of the Weir and how to use the powerful sword called Shadowslayer as defense against known and unforeseen enemies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Soon Jack is off to England, where he is thrown into a high-stakes chase from Dr. Jessamine Longbranch a wicked person who helped saved his life years before and the Roses. Perhaps the most daunting challenge of all for Jack will be remembering who he really is underneath it all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">THE WARRIOR HEIR is a thrilling fantasy set in the 21st century that seems to be different from some of the other wizard stories out there. While I did wish that the novel contained further information about the Weir and that some of the mentioned characters of Jefferson Street were included in the </span>story line<span style="font-family: inherit;"> a bit more, I did find the book to have a great mix of relationships, historical references, action (at times gory) and suspense. I would suggest having an extra copy on hand because you might find it disappearing temporarily from your bookshelf once your family and friends see it.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sixteen-year-old Seph McCauley has spent the past three years getting kicked out of one exclusive private school after another. And it's not his attitude that’s the problem. It’s the trail of magical accidents—lately, disasters—that follow in his wake. Seph is a wizard, orphaned and untrained--and his powers are escalating out of control. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">After causing a tragic fire at an after-hours party, Seph is sent to the Havens, a secluded boys’ school on the coast of Maine. At first, it seems like the answer to his prayers. Gregory Leicester, the headmaster, promises to train Seph in magic and initiate him into his mysterious order of wizards. But Seph's enthusiasm dampens when he learns that training comes at a steep cost, and that Leicester plans to use his students' powers to serve his own dangerous agenda.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF924PuEnkXne5i90r-jvGIvJd2pT5Xf3incRz9stHTRkIwrhehfjhydFfABWnZ9hyphenhyphenYdq72Ics6LurUPRcnK2UYAjUYB75F1KIOF5r5GOke9WoP_ukyZUZ1WXMxKyGsJU8nmEHfa0zv27g/s1600/The-Heir-Series-the-heir-trilogy-10025025-427-640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF924PuEnkXne5i90r-jvGIvJd2pT5Xf3incRz9stHTRkIwrhehfjhydFfABWnZ9hyphenhyphenYdq72Ics6LurUPRcnK2UYAjUYB75F1KIOF5r5GOke9WoP_ukyZUZ1WXMxKyGsJU8nmEHfa0zv27g/s400/The-Heir-Series-the-heir-trilogy-10025025-427-640.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">In this companion novel to the exciting fantasy The Warrior Heir, everyone's got a secret to keep: Jason Haley, a fellow student who’s been warned to keep away from Seph; the enchanter Linda Downey, who knew his parents; the rogue wizard Leander Hastings, and the warriors Jack Swift and Ellen Stephenson. This wizard war is one that Seph may not have the strength to survive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Like The Warrior Heir, this novel gives a refreshingly new view of magic, the classic story starter. We begin to see more of the underlying major plot of political warfare that was barely tapped into last spring, a power struggle that both contrasts and mirrors our own world. Not many authors can practically restart a story with a new protagonist and setting, and weave it into what we the readers already know, but Chima does so with such spectacular ease it causes one to wonder why so many series stick to one point of view, thus limiting the richness and variety in the writer's universe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Chima has a flawless balance of almost every element you can find in a good story. She has no qualms about scaring her readers, but isn't so ruthlessly horrible that sensitive readers are afraid to finish the series or even the book, as is the tendency of authors like Rowling. The density of the individual and overall stories does not choke a casual reader like Herbert's masterpiece Dune and while a careful reader can guess early on the identity of the Dragon and of Seph's parents, it's not a matter of clear and obvious assertion from page one as was found in Paolini's Eldest, but a matter of educated guessing with the several plausible options.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not to mention the diversity of Chima's endless supply of characters, new and old. Any girl who tires of the stereotypical heroine will be pleased at the power and skill each female character that defines their personality and place in the story, though the men are by no means left plain in comparison. But what makes them stand out more than their magical powers ever could is how real the characters are, in emotion, thought process and personality.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Living up to its predecessor and even surpassing its brilliance, The Wizard Heir has something for everyone to enjoy, from funny and unconventional romance to hair-raising situations and a surprisingly fitting happy ending. Readers can expect to close on the last page absolutely dying read the story with The Dragon Heir, and beyond.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>3. Dragon Heir : </b></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;">The covenant that was meant to keep the wizard wars at bay has been stolen, and Trinity must prepare for attack. Everyone is doing their part -- Seph is monitoring the Weirwalls; Jack and Ellen are training their ghostly army; even Anaweir Will and Fitch are setting booby traps around the town's perimeter. But to Jason Haley, it seems like everyone wants to keep him out of the action. He may not be the most powerful wizard in Trinity, but he's prepared to fight for his friends. When Jason finds a powerful talisman --a huge opal called the Dragonheart--buried in a cave, his role takes on new importance. The stone seems to sing to Jason's very soul -- showing him that he is meant for more than anyone guessed. Trinity's guardians take the stone away after they realize that it may be a weapon powerful enough to save them all. Without any significant power of his own, and now without the stone, what can Jason possibly do to help the people he cares about -- and to prove his mettle?</i></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;">Madison Moss can feel the beating heart of the opal, too. The desire for it surges through her, drawing her to it. But Maddie has other things besides the Dragonheart on her mind. She has a secret. Ever since absorbing the magical blow that was meant to kill Seph, she's been leaking dark powers. Although Maddie herself is immune to magic, what would her friends think if they knew what kind of evil lay within her?</i></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;"> Trinity's enemies are as enthusiastic about her powers as she is frightened. They think they can use her to get to the Dragonheart -- and they'll use anyone Maddie cares about to make her steal the stone for them.</i></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;">Moral compasses spin out of control as a final battle storms through what was once a sanctuary for the gifted. With so much to lose, what will Jason and Maddie be willing to fight for -- and what will they sacrifice? Every man is for himself in this thrilling conclusion to the Heir trilogy.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhveXtRwPSxYXxS8EoF-dvVQfhUZD9ArF3BSWYAbUtHV72c8A37mTk4foTAw2F2rtdwlfUiv5qA9v23a_3LuXQV2u3OlkHCBKuR_NlQYAjINY4wC5-WBQsD3ZlHr4Q3EPw-y17ClE1UBthh/s1600/The-Heir-Series-the-heir-trilogy-10025026-333-500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhveXtRwPSxYXxS8EoF-dvVQfhUZD9ArF3BSWYAbUtHV72c8A37mTk4foTAw2F2rtdwlfUiv5qA9v23a_3LuXQV2u3OlkHCBKuR_NlQYAjINY4wC5-WBQsD3ZlHr4Q3EPw-y17ClE1UBthh/s400/The-Heir-Series-the-heir-trilogy-10025026-333-500.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">A lot of times, when a new author emerges in the world of fiction, it seems like every good idea they've ever had 20 or 30 or 40 years of dreaming finds its way into that brilliant debut. Then, when it's time for the sequel... well, there's not much left. And that's why I'm so amazed that Cinda Chima's books just keep getting better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Dragon Heir is the third and final book of the Heir series, which started out following young Jack Swift as he found out that he was born to be a warrior fighting in the name of wizard politics. Now full war is breaking out among the magical guilds, and the wizards are determined to put everyone back in their place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But we're not just following Jack anymore in each book of the Heir series, Chima writes from a new character's point of view. It's a technique that seems, well, incredibly simple, but it creates a slew of unique perspectives that engrosses you immediately. In The Dragon Heir, we see the world through the eyes of Jason Haley and Madison Moss, who were supporting characters in The Wizard Heir but could probably carry a series by themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of the characters in Chima's books are incredibly well-developed. There's the perfect combination of magic and teenage problems (Does he really love me? And how come things blow up whenever he's around?) that makes young adult fantasy so appealing, even to those of us who have already inched into full adulthood. The best example of this comes when the characters are finally forced to reveal some of their secrets to the non-magical people around them (the muggles, if you will). Most series just make sure that situation never happens, but Chima's characters handle it with the pitch-perfect amount of shock, logic and intelligence (My son is a WHAT?!). They behave like real people, and it makes you wonder why Spider-man didn't fess up to Aunt May a lot sooner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Each of the Heir books has been better than the last, and The Dragon Heir ties it all together with a conclusion that just seems to fit. It doesn't have some of the brilliant moments of suspense that The Wizard Heir had, but it weaves layers of plot and intrigue in a way that is elegant instead of muddled. You might figure out the ending -- maybe -- but you'll feel smart for getting it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Dragon Heir stands on its own as a great read, but why would you want to do that? You'll love all three.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And it has been announced that the next book The Enchanter Heir is to be released on October of 2013. So have to hang in there to know what awaits in the next book !! Argh!!! </span></div>
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Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.2495830000000312.565435500000001 79.604136000000025 13.5554085 80.895030000000034tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-75058978343800472612013-01-08T09:27:00.003+05:302013-01-08T09:27:51.663+05:30Chronicles of Ancient Darkness - A must read for every fantasy reader!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Wolf Brother :</span></b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1ZJlm14yOW8VZO5QH-GYnSQf8XUxytjdbhs2rtd3Q_NVooknPPCWq59YuA2sINqFq0lEzAxBUlTe-Fq1KRY8_K2ELneLLUWu2xl6EhwwEaCOhmYYi95fMj3Tnz1V77XzaTAAVwUXqlgj/s1600/Wolf_brother.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1ZJlm14yOW8VZO5QH-GYnSQf8XUxytjdbhs2rtd3Q_NVooknPPCWq59YuA2sINqFq0lEzAxBUlTe-Fq1KRY8_K2ELneLLUWu2xl6EhwwEaCOhmYYi95fMj3Tnz1V77XzaTAAVwUXqlgj/s320/Wolf_brother.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Six thousand years ago, Evil stalks the land. According to legend, only twelve-year-old Torak and his wolf-cub companion can defeat it. Their journey together takes them through deep forests, across giant glaciers, and into dangers they never imagined. Torak and Wolf are terrified of their mission. But if they do not battle to save their world, who will?" </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wolf Brother is the first book of six and begins The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Torak is now alone and scared. His father is dead, slain by a demon in the form of a great bear. Torak must keep going; his only friend is another orphan, a small wolf cub. Evil stalks the forest and Torak must face a foe that stalks him silently and cannot be shaken.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wolf Brother is an excellent book, highly researched and showing admirable attention to detail. The short, sharp chapters and wonderful world development creates a page-turner that can be finished without the reader even noticing they were getting near the end.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wolf Brother has also brought a welcome breath of fresh air to the realm of children’s fantasy. JK Rowling’s successful Harry Potter series had resulted in a flood of teenage angst and magic type books that did not live up to the quality of Rowling’s inventions.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This a predominantly a young adults book, Torak is twelve and I was say that this is probably the optimum age to read it. Due to its subject matter, a young boy becoming orphaned and having to fend for himself in the wild, the tale is gritty and realistic and holds no punches when showing the harshness of the lives that was endured by Torak and the clans.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Spirit Walker : </span></b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhff4WTxlTAJf9D4oz8ZvIN7IDDTmqnajXhDauPTv4VA4wUBfL-F0G30JXh5meNnKyo_heIbD46Z8f2KG2mx9dnI31O530GZF5VP7UXPKnc-ycWA8veCVkOZUNR3ORzhAyhAoUxv_JQ8gcV/s1600/387px-Spirit_Walker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhff4WTxlTAJf9D4oz8ZvIN7IDDTmqnajXhDauPTv4VA4wUBfL-F0G30JXh5meNnKyo_heIbD46Z8f2KG2mx9dnI31O530GZF5VP7UXPKnc-ycWA8veCVkOZUNR3ORzhAyhAoUxv_JQ8gcV/s320/387px-Spirit_Walker.jpg" width="206" /></a><span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"As the Moon of No Dark waxes high, the clans fall prey to a horrifying sickness. Fear stalks the Forest. The very breath of summer seems poisoned. No-one knows the cause - and only Torak can find the cure. His quest takes him across the sea to the mysterious islands of the Seal Clan. Here, Torak battles an unseen menace, and uncovers a betrayal that will change his life -forever"</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhff4WTxlTAJf9D4oz8ZvIN7IDDTmqnajXhDauPTv4VA4wUBfL-F0G30JXh5meNnKyo_heIbD46Z8f2KG2mx9dnI31O530GZF5VP7UXPKnc-ycWA8veCVkOZUNR3ORzhAyhAoUxv_JQ8gcV/s1600/387px-Spirit_Walker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although he is still reeling from the violent death of his father and the loss of his "soul" mate, Wolf, Torak has found a kind of peace living with the Raven Clan. As he tries to sort out his life, he has developed a growing fondness for its leader, Fin-Kedinn, and a kinship with the gentle people. In a single moment, however, all of this changes when he encounters a sick hunter from another clan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The sick man had yanked handfuls of hair from his scalp and beard, leaving patches of raw, oozing flesh. His face was crusted with thick honey-colored scabs like birch canker. Slime bubbled in his throat as he spat out the last of the hair --- then sat back on his heels, and began scratching a rash of blisters on his forearm.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With his heart filled with dread, Torak returns to warn the Clan of the fever that is spreading. To his horror he finds that the mad sickness has already made its claim. Where could this be coming from? Was it possible that it had something to do with the Soul-Eaters and the warnings his father had given him? With a jolting realization, Torak knows he must find the source of this sickness. Thus begins a most perilous journey --- a journey to find the cure and a journey that unfolds a past that Torak will find hard to accept.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This story is told in two voices --- one from Torak and the other from his spirit brother, Wolf. Wolf refers to Torak and other humans as Tall Tailless. His voice offers views of all the confusion, which seems to result from human greed. Although Wolf does not understand the complexities of these things, he senses good and evil and the need to protect Torak. His ultimate goal is to be reunited with Torak and his journey parallels that of his spirit brother's.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Torak builds friendships within the Seal Clan but also tragically discovers a darker secret in someone he trusted. His problems have become deeper and more complex in this story, especially as he begins to comprehend that he is a Spirit Walker. Renn, the Mage apprentice (much like a spirit advisor), is again his companion and once more proves herself to be a true friend and warrior.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">SPIRIT WALKER is every bit as good, if not better, than WOLF BROTHER. There is yet another book to look forward to and the possibility of a movie. Michelle Paver is in the winner's circle with this trilogy.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Soul Eater : </span></b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK05V3pqovCMH7eMXwu6yh_mpWbQ9FGlYBPO_6f49aAvMYOcpxA_fjeHesJ5f7twu9QQvdedPFzW9eDP24zA8RBApPQkq0gfbLRBaMK5iqerPnRo2CllxXmrRW4dM__EYVrpAWF5sC4zqQ/s1600/450px-Soul_eater_book_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK05V3pqovCMH7eMXwu6yh_mpWbQ9FGlYBPO_6f49aAvMYOcpxA_fjeHesJ5f7twu9QQvdedPFzW9eDP24zA8RBApPQkq0gfbLRBaMK5iqerPnRo2CllxXmrRW4dM__EYVrpAWF5sC4zqQ/s320/450px-Soul_eater_book_cover.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"It's winter, and Wolf, Torak's beloved pack-brother has been captured by an unknown foe. In a desperate bid to rescue him, Torak and Renn must brave the Far North. As they battle for survival amid howling blizzards and the ever present menace of the great white bear, their friendship is tested to breaking point, and Torak is forced to get closer to his enemies than ever before..."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Soul Eater is set 6,000 years ago in Northern Europe, after the end of the last ice age, the novels take place along a wooded coastline, inhabited by wandering clans whose cultures revolve around totemic animals or trees: the Raven Clan, the Wolf Clan, the Willow Clan and so on.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK05V3pqovCMH7eMXwu6yh_mpWbQ9FGlYBPO_6f49aAvMYOcpxA_fjeHesJ5f7twu9QQvdedPFzW9eDP24zA8RBApPQkq0gfbLRBaMK5iqerPnRo2CllxXmrRW4dM__EYVrpAWF5sC4zqQ/s1600/450px-Soul_eater_book_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The chief character is Torak who has the power spirit walk (inhabit the souls of animals). The narrative cleverly swaps between Torak's perspective and that of his friend, a girl called Renn, and Wolf, Torak's pack brother and constant companion since the first book, Wolf Brother. The three main characters are constantly saving each other from danger and it is in these moments that Michelle Paver is able to add heart-stopping suspense into the story. The chapters showing the story from the wolf's perspective are the most enjoyable - Paver manages to make Wolf behave in a completely wolf-ish manner, in a way similar to Robin Hobbs portrayal of Nighteyes in the Farseer books.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Soul Eater begins with pace and speeds up from there, in true epic fantasy style Torak's world is facing great danger and only he can save it. In Wolf Brother it was a demonic bear, in Spirit Walker the danger took the form of the plague, in Soul Eater he must defend his world from a band of turncoat mages (called the Soul-Eaters) bent on world domination.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series progresses we find out more about Torak's ancestry and clues are dropped as to where the series will go after this volume. The climax to the book is excellent and quickly reached as this is a real page-turner. This book has everything, killer polar bears, demons, magic, wonder and danger. The first two books were very good; Soul Eater is excellent. The relationship between the clans and the natural world is beautifully wrought and the narrative is lively and compelling. Paver's research has been painstaking, both in terms of the natural and spiritual world in which the clans exist.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Young adults will embrace Soul Eater wholeheartedly and fans of the Ancient Darkness series will find that Paver has given then a third instalment even better than the previous two.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Outcast : </span></b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHWavNpXLUH3JnZlBwzTltf7ZkDOTYrbunkIxaQ9VGU6EwKsQXqOgWnjC4peIB2rOcs02YcEM3BD1-mSVIO_MT_qtXmmsFLtQYgTFp7xnw2cfXxrS1hW9mXhcv7zgl0eFUhbIspctlePu/s1600/outcast-250x390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHWavNpXLUH3JnZlBwzTltf7ZkDOTYrbunkIxaQ9VGU6EwKsQXqOgWnjC4peIB2rOcs02YcEM3BD1-mSVIO_MT_qtXmmsFLtQYgTFp7xnw2cfXxrS1hW9mXhcv7zgl0eFUhbIspctlePu/s320/outcast-250x390.jpg" width="205" /></a><span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For two moons Torak has hidden a terrible secret—and now it is revealed. He bears the mark of the Soul-Eater, and must pay the price. Cast out from the clans, he is alone and on the run: cut off from his best friend, Renn, and his beloved pack-brother, Wolf.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He flees to the haunted reed-beds of Lake Axehead, where he is hunted by the Otter Clan, taunted by the Hidden People, and, as soul-sickness claims him, he falls prey to an even greater menace. Tormented by secrets and broken trust, he uncovers a deception that will turn his world upside down.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am the oldest of the clans of the Open Forest...I speak for them all...The boy bears the mark of the Soul-Eater. The law is clear. He must be cast out.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What does it mean to be an outcast? For Torak it means he is no longer accepted among the clans. He leaves his tribe in disgrace because he has the mark of the Soul-Eaters on his chest. He cannot communicate with anyone, and if he is found, he will be killed. Fin-Kedinn, the Raven Leader who has been like a father to him, has been forced to cast him out. Even Renn, his best friend, is not allowed to help him and must turn her back on him or risk her own death. He is clanless. Torak travels alone, always in danger and with the curse of the Viper Mage, Seshru of the Soul-Eaters, haunting his every step.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The young warrior, however, does not give up. As he walks away from his beloved peoples he declares:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I may be outcast and clanless, but I'm no Soul-Eater. And I will find a way to prove it..."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With his long-time companion Wolf at his side and his confidence in the forest, he is determined to tear the mark from his chest and prove his worthiness. Though Renn is supposed to stay away, she finds him and reveals the magic rite he must use to remove the evil scar. Yet, as he moves deeper into the forests and is faced with more obstacles, his confidence is challenged from all directions. Hunted and haunted by the Viper Mage, Torak is unable to escape her powerful magic. Worst of all, he discovers that he cannot control the sickness creeping through his body and that he might, without intent, harm those he loves.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Renn now travels with a skilled Skinboater from the Seal Clan known as Bale. Risking their own lives, they try to protect Torak and help him as he fights against the Soul-Eaters. But for Renn there is even greater danger as the Viper Mage, Seshru, controls Torak and, in her raging jealously, sends a giant, slithering horror to destroy her.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The snake stretched its jaws wide --- its fangs unfold from the roof of its mouth and point down --- they fill with venom, ready to strike...Bite, bite..</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How can OUTCAST be just as good, if not better, than the previous powerful books in this gripping series? The introduction of Bale is a good addition and brings an interesting character into the close relationship of Renn and Torak. All the wonderful details of life 6,000 years ago, the mystic happenings, the customs of everyday living and the abilities to survive in a world full of unknown threats is fascinating reading. Michelle Paver keeps every minute tingling with excitement, mystery and adventure.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The black and white drawings by Geoff Taylor again beautifully illustrate Torak's world. </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Oath Breaker :</span></b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1bIXfy074xj0xKQeV1uGiCZ2lH_41buednvmjbEeKWnjZId91pkoKetXTlZsHXzrQ5fhr3SPXKK488Y0MzF1WKzr-x08pncKa53h_P1YUS1KyzWFMh8G9alSmXpKIagofeJWlzu3XP9n/s1600/Oath_breaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1bIXfy074xj0xKQeV1uGiCZ2lH_41buednvmjbEeKWnjZId91pkoKetXTlZsHXzrQ5fhr3SPXKK488Y0MzF1WKzr-x08pncKa53h_P1YUS1KyzWFMh8G9alSmXpKIagofeJWlzu3XP9n/s320/Oath_breaker.jpg" width="204" /></a><span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When he was outcast, Torak was the hunted one. Nine moons later he becomes the hunter when he vows to avenge the killing of one of his closest friends. Racked by guilt and grief, he follows the killer into the Deep Forest, where the World Spirit stalks the hidden valleys as a tall man with the antlers of a stag. But there is a rottenness at the heart of the Forest, for its clans have succumbed to the lies of the Soul-Eaters. Here, Torak must face fire, war, and overwhelming evil. Oath Breaker is a story about keeping promises and the true cost of vengeance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bale lay on his back. His face was unmarked. It was the back of his skull that had cracked like an eggshell.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps one of the worst things that can happen to a person is to lose their best friend. When Torak discovers his friend Bale murdered, he is not only devastated but his guilt is overwhelming. If Torak hadn't left their campsite during the night, none of this would have happened. He carries his guilt heavy within and is determined to avenge this brutal death. He will risk anything to give Bale's spirit its proper rest and find the killer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite warnings from Saeunn, the old Raven Mage (she cautions that Torak's foster father, Fin-Kedinn, will never see the end of this journey), Torak sets out accompanied by Renn and Fin-Kedinn. Even before they leave camp, they have discovered Bale's probable killer. All signs point to an old enemy, the Oak Mage, known as Thiazzi. In their last encounter the evil Soul-Eater had been attacked by a wolf who took two of his fingers in the process. Thiazzi, probably traveling with the one other remaining Soul-Eater, Eostra, is also bent on revenge. The little Raven Clan is up against some very powerful magic and madness on this journey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For the time being, Torak's long-time companion, Wolf, is on his own journey. Although Wolf and Torak have been separated, Wolf has sensed Thiazzi, who he calls the Bitten One, and is driven to follow this scent. Wolf's language is simple and picturesque. When he sees the "tailless one," his thoughts move like this:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Bitten One was sliding up - Wet on the trunk of an oak. Wolf caught the glint of a great stone claw at his flank. He caught the smell of pine-blood and reindeer hide, and the strange, terrible Bright Beast-that-Bites-Cold.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not long after Wolf and Torak are united, Thiazzi makes a bold move and the little band of travelers walk into a trap. Renn is hurt, but Fin-Kedinn's injuries are life-threatening. Now the warnings of Saeunn make Torak realize that he has been foolish in this quest because he has risked the lives of those he loves. When Fin-Kedinn is back with the Raven Clan, Torak vows to go on by himself. Little does he know that Thiazzi has much worse plans for him. Thiazzi is mad, determined to become the most powerful Mage and bent on destroying Torak. The boy will need all the strength, magic and cunning he has to meet the challenges of this formidable enemy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Michelle Paver once again delivers a riveting story full of fast-paced adventure and unexpected twists. Her detailed research enriches Torak's adventures in a world long gone. By now, readers have become familiar with the psychic connection that allows Wolf, along with the ravens Rip and Rek, to communicate with the young boy. As he grows into manhood, Torak must confront his own demons, and in OATH BREAKER he faces some of his most challenging obstacles.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Geoff Taylor's wonderful black and white illustrations beautifully augment the richness of Paver's book. An excellent map in the beginning helps the reader easily follow Torak's path through the North Woods and see the placement of the various clans. Fans will love this fifth installment as they again share Torak's adventures in a world of magic and beauty.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Ghost Hunter :</span></b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Sg_I65nbXYJo7Hogik5kV1Bqw2Mh2Yy0r_nIZbS5HTuV4HVKlyj8z5Ru4Y78K6OLlpXQivCO0H1T5opZUBFqkFJnkcHYep4625CF3iV2zbg5fVwUoYrIwukn2r2rclsUAdPMaZaH30z0/s1600/ghosthunter-250x390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Sg_I65nbXYJo7Hogik5kV1Bqw2Mh2Yy0r_nIZbS5HTuV4HVKlyj8z5Ru4Y78K6OLlpXQivCO0H1T5opZUBFqkFJnkcHYep4625CF3iV2zbg5fVwUoYrIwukn2r2rclsUAdPMaZaH30z0/s320/ghosthunter-250x390.jpg" width="205" /></a><span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Her cry rips the souls from your marrow. With her spear she snares them. She devours them. Eostra truly is an eater of souls.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Winter is coming. Souls' Night draws near. Eostra, the Eagle Owl Mage, holds the clans in the grip of terror. Torak must leave the Forest and seek her lair in the Mountain of Ghosts, while Renn faces an agonizing decision. Wolf, their faithful pack-brother, must overcome wrenching grief. And in the final battle against the forces of darkness, Torak will make the most shattering choice of all.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ghost Hunter, the final book in the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series, draws the reader for the last time into the shadowy world of the deep past and brings Torak to the end of his incredible journey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Look behind you, Torak.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He spun around.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two paces away, an arrow had been thrust into the earth.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Torak recognized the fletching at once. He knew the one who had made this arrow. He wanted desperately to touch it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He tried to lick his lips, but his mouth was dry.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Is it you?" he called, his voice rough with fear and longing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Is it you?...Fa?"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The dreams are coming fast and furious now. It's hard for Torak to tell what's real. He desperately misses Fa (his father) but knows he's dead. Still, when he hears his father's voice and occasionally sees him, he's shaken. Perhaps his father is trying to tell him something, like he is in danger and needs him. He is sure his father's spirit is not at peace, and now must do something to ease the journey into the spirit world.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Raven leader Fin-Kedinn is full of misgivings. He warns Torak that these things can easily be the work of the Soul-Eaters. Their old enemy and powerful Mage, Eostra, is once more working her magic. She is determined to kill Torak and create a world only for the Soul-Eaters. Torak is in her way and has been much too long, and she will stop at nothing to get to the Spirit Walker. Fin-Kedinn warns the boy of Eostra's ability to twist reality and that he will walk into danger, but Torak replies: "You can't stop me."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now 15 years old, Torak has grown stronger and tall. He leaves the Raven camp on his own, fearful that staying behind will endanger them all. He chooses not to take Renn or Wolf for these very reasons, so the danger will be upon him alone. The Eagle Owl Mage is after him, and he will meet her on his terms but cannot even begin to imagine the horrors and sacrifices awaiting him. He is set to discover that he cannot do this on his own and that tragedy will stalk him and those he loves along the way</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wolf and his mate, Darkfur, now have two cubs, Shadow and Pebble. The wolves are happy and content in their safe shelter. Torak must say his goodbyes and be on his way. Wolf is sad to let the boy go on his own, but respects his wishes and knows also that he must stay with his family. At the same time, Rinn is not accepting being left behind. Despite warnings from Fin-Kedinn and the old Mage, Saeunn, Rinn begins following Torak.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The evil that is growing more powerful has pervaded the forests and affected the animals and the weather. Torak does not get far when he knows that the eagle owl, possessed by the Soul-Eaters, has circled back and is going to attack the wolves. The ravens (Rip and Rek), traveling with him, have screamed their warnings and flown ahead, but when the boy gets to the wolves' lair, one cub is beyond his help. Darkfur is in a desperate battle with the owl trying to save her last cub. Despite Torak's attempts, he watches in horror as the brave mother falls from the cliff into churning waters below and the giant owl carries off the squealing cub.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is only the beginning of a journey that brings heartbreak and near death to Torak and others. The unexpected ice storms, the madness of the Soul-Eater Madge, and the tokoroths who work with her create unspeakable horrors in a nightmare that cannot end. How can Torak save what is left against these so powerful forces? Have any of the sacrifices been worth it?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">GHOST HUNTER is the final installment in Michelle Paver's wonderful Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series.These books should definitely be in every school library as they offer fantastic insights and terrific storytelling of a time long gone . There's no question that they would also lend themselves to reading aloud.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Renn is a powerful female character who is respected and forceful. Torak is a boy thrown into the turmoil of a life that is hard beyond words, but whose spirituality is able to bring him through the darkness. The series combines the three "e's": educational, entertaining and enlightening. Along with Paver's stories, artist Geoff Taylor's beautiful drawings and maps help the ancient world truly come alive. Parents, teachers, librarians and, of course, young adults will definitely want to add this series to their reading list.</span></span></div>
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Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com2Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.2495830000000312.5655175 79.604136000000025 13.555326500000001 80.895030000000034tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-36426926709139457292012-10-22T13:44:00.000+05:302012-10-22T13:44:24.984+05:30The Mark of Athena : Hits Bullseye !!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>"Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.</i></div>
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<i>And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close— the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?</i></div>
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<i>Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.</i></div>
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<i>Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare. . . </i></div>
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<i>In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Half-blood and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven? </i></div>
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<i> "Wisdom's daughter walks alone,</i></div>
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<i>The Mark of Athena burns through Rome,</i></div>
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<i>Twins snuff out the angel's breath,</i></div>
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<i>Who holds the key to endless death.</i></div>
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<i>Giants' bane stands gold and pale,</i></div>
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<i>Won through pain from a woven jail." </i></div>
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<i>The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophesy remains a mystery. . . . With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan."</i></div>
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<i>Ric</i>k Riordan doesn't disappoint with his latest installment in the Heroes of Olympus series. His trademark humor is spot on, causing more than one real-life LOL. All the silly monsters and clever lines that we fell in love with when we read The Lightning Thief are new, improved, and back with a vengeance. </div>
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The Mark of Athena sees representatives of the two camps – Half-Blood and Jupiter – together in the same place, but not necessarily united under the same flag. Seven demigods have to venture forth on the quest of a lifetime, but the hardest part might prove to be working together. They must fly on the Argo II, the Greek trireme adorned with the head of our favorite dragon Festus, cross the United States, traverse the ocean, and end up in Rome – one of the most dangerous places in the world for demigods.</div>
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The story is told from four different points of view: Piper, Leo, Percy, and Annabeth. Stepping back into Percy’s shoes always feels like soaking in a nice, clean, freshwater river after a particularly arduous day at Camp Half-Blood. Leo is also a personal favorite, and his witty retorts and unique perspectives don’t go unappreciated. Even hopping into Piper’s brain for a while feels familiar and secure. But this truly is Annabeth’s story.</div>
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On the whole, the book was another success as far as we’re concerned. The funny moments weigh equally with the emotional bits, and the suspense keeps you turning pages as if the fate of the world is resting on your back. The most exciting part had to be when the demigods finally made it to Rome. Despite the fact that they knew what they had to face there, the crew of the Argo II and the readers alike take a moment to appreciate finally stepping foot in one of the birthplaces of all those legends.</div>
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The book slows down periodically to take note of everyone’s situation. There are a lot of characters aboard the ship, and taking stock of what each one is thinking or doing can become tiresome. This book is as much about relationships as it is about finding a way to stop Gaea, and while that’s all fine and dandy, sometimes we just wants to see some ancient mythological monster’s head flying instead of hearing about how everyone feels about everyone else.</div>
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Gone are the days of the 12-year-old boy who just found out his father was Poseidon. (Can we just take a moment here as well to say that we really miss those snarky chapter titles from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series?) Percy is almost 17 and the tone of the book reflects this. The various couples find themselves alone more often and we sense that our favorite characters are almost fully-fledged adults. The humor is sometimes in contrast to this and doesn't fit as well with the story as when our characters were pre-teens. On the other hand, we can’t say we didn't laugh when a giant with an affinity for ballet popped up in a blue tutu and insisted on performing a pirouette with every attack.</div>
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The novel on a whole answered a lot of questions, although we probably have just as many new ones for the following book. But these set us up perfectly for the next installment as well: we know the goal (to save the world…again), but it’s an impossible task under an impossible deadline. It’s nothing new for our heroes, but we wouldn't want it any other way.</div>
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Oh, and the ending? Well, am obviously not going to give that away. But don’t say I didn't warn you. </div>
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Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.8129375 79.933726000000007 13.307906500000001 80.56544tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-29429836506148526602012-09-09T08:39:00.001+05:302012-09-09T08:39:49.132+05:30Lorien Legacies : Rise of Nine - In which we meet Setrakus Ra !!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"Until the day I met John Smith, Number Four, I'd been on the run alone, hiding and fighting to stay alive.<br /><br />Together, we are much more powerful. But it could only last so long before we had to separate to find the others. . . .<br /><br />I went to Spain to find Seven, and I found even more, including a tenth member of the Garde who escaped from Lorien alive. Ella is younger than the rest of us, but just as brave. Now we're looking for the others--including John.<br />But so are they.<br /><br />They caught Number One in Malaysia.<br />Number Two in England.<br />And Number Three in Kenya.<br />They caught me in New York--but I escaped.<br />I am Number Six.<br />They want to finish what they started.<br />But they'll have to fight us first."</blockquote>
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First, the stick, then the carrot. The Lorien Legacies series isn't as polished or emotionally resonant as, say, Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games. But that's comparing it to the best of the best in the YA universe. Judged on its own merit, the Lorien Legacies constitute rip-roaring, page-turning reads. I can't get enough of them, never mind that the narrative structure is sometimes clunky. The author Pittacus Lore - and, of course, I'm referring to the real authors behind the pseudonym: Jobie Hughes and James Frey - has improved book by book, in storytelling, in pace, in dialogue, and in not aggravating them rigid grammarians quite so much.</div>
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And, by the way, if you haven't yet read the first two books, why are you reading this?</div>
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With The Rise of Nine, third of a proposed six, we're treated to three first-person narrators who recount their adventures on alternating chapters. We're familiar by now with John Smith's (Number Four) and Marina's (Seven) voices. Now we also get to experience Six's perspective. Six, by the way, has my vote for best character in the series. She exudes that sense of sheer competence and quiet badassery, and Six doesn't feel the need to be all smirky and smug about it.</div>
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Skip this paragraph to avoid a history lesson: When the warlike alien Mogadorians plundered the planet Lorien, nine special Loric children - nine members of the Garde - were spirited away to Earth. On our world, these children scattered to the winds and hunkered down and abide their time, in constant fear that the Mogadorians would track them down. The farfetched hope is that these nine - guided and trained by their respective Cêpans (mentors) - would develop and hone their extraordinary abilities (or "legacies") and so take the fight to the enemy and restore their home world. A mystic charm protects the nine, a safeguard which dictates that these children can only be slain in numerical order. As mentioned elsewhere, the kid designated "Number One" probably didn't think this was the coolest thing ever. "Number Nine" begs to differ.</div>
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When the series opened, Numbers One through Three had already been chased down and murdered. I am Number Four, The Power of Six, and this one, The Rise of Nine, tells the story of the remaining Nine, of how they, one by one, reunite with each other. The relentless Mogadorians - not about to wait until the kids grow fully into their powers - have stepped up their efforts to hunt them down. In The Rise of Nine we finally attach a face to the Mogadorian horde. We meet the fearsome big bad, Setrákus Ra, who had disposed of Numbers One thru Three.</div>
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The Rise of Nine picks up right where The Power of Six leaves off. We end up tracking two story arcs. We keep tabs on John Smith, Nine, and John's remarkable, shape-shifting chæmera pet Bernie Kosar as they're still on the run and recovering from their harrowing escape from the Mogadorian cave in West Virginia. I admit that John Smith is rocketing up my crap list for his constant mooning over his girlfriend Sarah. And now he harbors guilt over his forced abandonment of his human best friend, Sam Goode, who was captured in the cave. Nine is in full-on jerk mode as he constantly belittles John's loyalties to his human friends and berates him for not focusing more on their ultimate goal.</div>
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Meanwhile, halfway across the world, Six, Marina (Seven), Ella (Ten, yes, there's a ten!), and Ella's unofficial Cêpan vacate Spain and journey to India, chasing down wild rumors that may eventually lead them to another of the Garde. Stuff happens to them.</div>
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This book feels exactly like what it is - the middle of a six-volume arc. There's plenty of rousing action, even bits of character development, and some plot advancement. But, really, all this is, is "Pitaccus Lore" introducing more of his players onstage. And I'm cool with that. I relished the kids' interactions. I was very curious about what the group dynamics would be like. The author(s) does a good job of establishing distinct personalities amongst the Garde. It's really nice to see Marina, shy and hesitant, asserting herself and becoming a steady asset to the team. Other readers have complained that Six and Seven's narrative voices are too similar, but I disagree. I had no trouble differentiating between the two.</div>
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As usual, a big draw are the kids' respective skill sets and their application of them. While all of the Nine seem to uniformly exhibit super-strength and telekinesis, their other legacies vary from each other. And I savor the superhero elements. The skirmishes are frequent and unfold with cinematic swagger. There are revelations concerning what's going on between the Mogadorians and the U.S. government. And if you thought you'd seen the last of Sarah Hart - she who betrayed John Smith - think again...</div>
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So, by the end of the book: One more number surfaced. A hindi god exposed. An alarming prophecy divulged (which doesn't bode well for most of the Loric Nine, given the nature of the protective mystic charm). The FBI on the wrong side. Six being badasss. Bernie Kosar being awesome. One or two teen crushes developed (hey, this is a YA series, after all). One all-out rescue mission. A showdown with predictable results. A smooth flow to the story. I liked The Rise of Nine, read it in one go, missed work the next day. So bring on the fourth book. And bring on Number Five. </div>
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Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.8129375 79.933726000000007 13.307906500000001 80.56544tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-3980092794231786482012-08-13T20:54:00.001+05:302012-08-13T20:54:32.232+05:30Kane Chronicles - Serpent's Shadow : Apocalyptic Battle !!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>"He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sadie Kane can't seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos. The Kanes' only hope is an ancient spell that might turn the serpent's own shadow into a weapon, but the magic has been lost for a millennia. To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent's shadow . . . or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld."</i></blockquote>
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Nothing less than the mortal world is at stake when the Kane family fulfills its destiny in this thrilling conclusion to the Kane Chronicles.<br />
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I have always been interested in "Egypt". I have so little knowledge about Egyptian mythology. And when you want a heavy dose of mythology on a hilarious platter, who do you come to? Why Rick Riordan, of course! The master of re-purposed mythological tales has done it again as he wrapped up the Kane Chronicles with The Serpent's Shadow.<br /><br />
Sadie and Carter know they must stop Apophis, the God of Chaos, from destroying the world. But how could two teenagers stop the apocalypse? When, you are a Kane, you always have friends in strange places. With Bast, a cat goddess, to watch over their initiates in the house, they embark on a journey to find the way to stop Apophis, but each day he grows stronger. Add to that the fact that the senile sun god, Ra, who was supposed to help them dances around and has to be babysat. Their best friend Walt is slowly dying from a generations-old curse, and Carter was crushing on a magical clay figurine he thought was a girl. Once the figurine was destroyed and they rescued the real Zia, she had no memory of Carter's time with her shabti. And Bast, the dwarf god, has sacrificed his soul to save them and is now sitting like a shell of himself in the retirement home for the Gods.<br />
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So how are they going to stop this unstoppable God of Chaos now that they have freed him and allowed him to gain more power than any one god or goddess can control, you ask? Well, it might involve a spell that is so powerful, it will destroy the Kanes for good, but when you have the weight and fate of the world resting on your shoulders, you really don't have much of a choice. Sadie and Carter will do anything to save the world, even if it means tough choices and big sacrifices. And with the Kanes against them, even giant serpent gods who thrive on chaos can stop them!<br />
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It is no secret that I think Rick Riordan is a god. God of literary brilliance! His Percy Jackson series and the spinoff series are brilliant uses of Greek and Roman Gods, and this series is just as phenomenal. His ability to repurpose mythology brings it into the mainstream and gets our kids involved in stories that might have been too old, too boring, and too distant for them before. And let's face it, mythology is interesting, but those stories are intricate and dense and those names get seriously confusing. Let's not even mention how ridiculous those tangled webs of relationships can be! But Riordan makes mythology accessible AND more important, absolutely HILARIOUS! The things that come out of these gods and godesses' mouths will leave you in a fit of giggles. And for my students who have read these stories, those gods and goddesses are interesting and the source of future research and reading. I find kids who read these books want to go on and read more about their favorite gods and goddesses, and since Egyptian mythology isn't as well known as Greek mythology, this series is a great way to strike a balance between the two! And this might be a middle reader series, but it isn't just for middle readers. Anyone from middle readers through adults would enjoy these books! All you have to have is a sense of humor and an interest in some nutty mythology!<br />
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The conclusion of the series was whole-heartedly satisfying. I promise you won't think it is going to be until the very end, but it really is. I have to say, I thought this was another 5 book series, so at the very end, when things started winding down, I had to rush to do some research as to whether or not this was the final book in the series. Sadly, because I love this series and wanted it to continue, this is indeed the final book, but it ends beautifully. If there was a perfect way to end everything, The Serpent's Shadow was it. So, I know Riordan is working on the Percy Jackson spin-off, but I really hope he has another series up his sleeve!<br />
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Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.8129375 79.933726000000007 13.307906500000001 80.56544tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-68109784826823487332012-07-30T17:46:00.000+05:302012-07-30T17:46:16.192+05:30Dark Knight Rises : Astounding !!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>A quick shout-out to jaded film types who think they have seen it all: think again. </strong></div>
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Then go and see <em>The Dark Knight Rises</em>. Now you have seen it all. As you were, then. </div>
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Christopher Nolan changed everything when his <em>Batman Begins</em>
brought to life the Batman I’d always dreamed of — no, actually, that’s
not entirely correct, because the truth is that the Batman films I
dreamed of were nowhere close to as good as what Nolan created. But what
he created was the Batman I had been waiting for all my life, even
though I didn’t know precisely what it was I was waiting for. Batman
Begins made me feel, “This is Batman, this is what Batman was always
meant to be, what he has for 65 years been journeying toward, and now
he’s made whole at last.” So it was a shock when, in 2008, magic
happened and Batman got even better on film. The superhero in cinema was
redefined, the simple notion of “comic book genre” rendered obsolete,
by <em>The Dark Knight</em>.
It was a crime thriller, a police and gangster drama set in a world we
could recognize as very close to our own, and in which the main
character happened to wear a Batman costume. After seeing it, I had the
feeling that “my” Batman, the one I’d been waiting for, was now fully
formed, and I admit I didn’t know if it would be possible for any future
Batman films to live up to what <em>The Dark Knight</em> delivered.</div>
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So it is that I walked into the theater to see <em>The Dark Knight Rises</em>
with very mixed emotions. This was the end of an era, the final act in
the story of “my” Batman. The character whom I’d known and loved as a
child, who saved me on many occasions from sadness and let my
imagination grow to escape the confines of a small world, had come to be
embodied fully in this live-action incarnation that was everything I
could hope for in a Batman film series… but now it was all going to be
over in less than three hours’ time. I’d never again experience the
anticipation of this Batman returning, of walking into a theater with
this excitement for a new Nolan Batman movie. Something that had been
with me as long as I could remember had come to life in front of my eyes
as an adult, and now it was going to go away forever. As much as I was
excited and ready to see this film, then, I was also a little sad and
overwhelmed by the mixed feelings involved.</div>
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I also had some fear that it might just be impossible for any Batman film to have the same impact as <em>The Dark Knight</em>,
including but not limited to the obviously amazing and performance
delivered by the late Heath Ledger. He was mesmerizing, he was
surprising and beautiful, he was perfect. It’s a performance that helped
define <em>The Dark Knight</em>, and it came to represent just how
transcendent the film and the franchise had become. Without that — no,
in the shadow of that — could any sequel hope to compare? Might it try
too hard, push too far, and come up short?</div>
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<span class="position_anchor"></span><em>The Dark Knight</em> <em>Rises</em> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">does</span> try hard, it <span style="text-decoration: underline;">does</span>
push far, but it doesn’t come up short. Oh, no, it is not content to
merely be a worthy sequel, nor is it even content to be just a fitting
third chapter in a great trilogy. It is not, I tell you, even content to
dare to match the quality and brilliance of <em>The Dark Knight</em>.
This newest film tries harder, pushes farther, and comes up with the
finest Batman film of all time, the greatest superhero or comic book
adaptation of all time, and the best film of the year.</div>
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As
for the rest of us - especially those who appreciate an action
blockbuster with brains and brilliance to accompany the brawn - <em>The Dark Knight Rises</em> is a genuine wonder to behold.</div>
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To
complete his astonishingly ambitious Batman trilogy, filmmaker
Christopher Nolan swings for the fences as if his life and your faith in
major motion pictures depends on it. Not only does Nolan, as
they say, hit the ball right out of the park, he smacks the thing right
out of this world. As the stunning crescendo that ends <em>The Dark Knight Rises</em> reaches its absolute apex, your jaw will have already bought a one-way ticket to the floor. </div>
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Where to start in nailing how <em>The Dark Knight Rises</em> scores such a triumphant result?</div>
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An amazing screenplay is as good a place as any. With
so much to remind us of, and yet, so much fresh ground to cover, the
complex plotting of the tale is almost impossible to summarise. </div>
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It
is eight years since the tumult that closed The Dark Knight. With both
Batman and his alter ego, billionaire Bruce Wayne, living in
self-imposed exile, it will take a major catastrophe to bring them back
where they belong. It is only when Gotham City - looking more
like downtown New York than ever before - comes under threat from
nuclear-armed terrorists that the Caped Crusader elects to resume active
service. This only scrapes the surface of the immensely
involving tale in the offing here. The bad guys are led by a
metal-muzzled menace named Bane, a supremely confident anarchist who is
not in the business of making veiled threats. Indeed, by the halfway point of <em>The Dark Knight Rises</em>,
Bane and his army of followers have sealed off Gotham from the rest of
the world. In a matter of weeks, a reactor they have stolen from Bruce
Wayne's collapsed business will reach critical meltdown, killing
everyone within a 10km radius of its core. </div>
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Performances in <em>The Dark Knight Rises</em> are first-class, considering the daunting scale of the production in which they take place. Christian
Bale has been an anchoring presence across the Nolan trilogy, steadily
working on keeping "The Batman" (as he has been formally known in Gotham
throughout the series) both accessibly vulnerable and toweringly
formidable in the eyes of the viewer. Bale is challenged to
take the role to a whole new level in the closing act, and responds as
an actor of his fine calibre should. The breakout display on
the performance front is undoubtedly the incredible work of Tom Hardy as
the hulking master of chaos, Bane. The job of this character is to
provoke fear and fascination in equal parts.In spite of being
trapped behind an ungainly mask - and speaking in a voice that some
might call "Sean Connery does Darth Vader" - Hardy controls the force
and fury to be unleashed by Bane with a masterful hand. </div>
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Dig
deeper down the cast list and you still find plenty of gold. Michael
Caine as Alfred carries a clutch of genuinely emotional scenes with a
veteran's aplomb. Gary Old man has reduced duties this time around as
Commissioner Gordon, but gives great value when the chips are down.If
there is a polarising performance, it might be that of Anne Hathaway as
Selina Kyle (the nominal Cat woman of the piece, though the name is
never purred out loud). Hathaway is asked by Nolan to exude a
wisecracking brashness which is pretty much the only light relief to be
found in this very heavy movie. I thought she got away with a very
tricky job. </div>
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Visually, <em>The Dark Knight Rises</em> is an epic
spectacle that completely arrests the senses, but never overwhelms
them. The list of standout scenes is long, and beyond debate. To
quote but one example, the dramatic minutes where Bane unveils his nuke
to the survivors of a bomb blast at a packed football stadium are never
to be forgotten. I could go on and on. Let's just say that the special effects and the intricate action sequences they service in <em>The Dark Knight Rises</em> combine to take mainstream film making to a whole new level. The
highest compliment that can be paid to this extraordinary work is that
it simultaneously meets, raises and defies all expectations.</div>
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<em>The Dark Knight Rises</em> is probably the first sure-thing
nominee for Best Picture, and could earn Nolan his first Best Director
nod from the Academy as well. It’ll surely rack up plenty of other
nominations as well, including for cinematography, score, visual
effects, and editing. And as noted earlier, it deserves at least one
nomination for acting, for Mr. Bale.</div>
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Christopher Nolan gave us a definitive Batman on film, and he has now
given us the definitive end to the Batman legend. While I still have
that mix of feelings about the end of this film saga I’ve so loved, I
have no mixed feelings about how great a film this is or its status as
the best Batman film of all time. And whatever sadness I feel as we
leave the era of Christopher Nolan’s Batman behind, that sadness cannot
match the endless gratitude and immense joy I’ve felt watching this
franchise, a franchise that delivered at long last on the promises made
to me in my childhood many decades ago.</div>
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</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.8129375 79.933726000000007 13.307906500000001 80.56544tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-32926796343250491972012-07-15T10:30:00.000+05:302012-07-15T10:30:08.129+05:30King's Masterpiece : Dark Tower Series : 7. The Dark Tower<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><i>"The seventh and final installment of Stephen King's The Dark Tower saga is perhaps the most anticipated book in the author's long career. King began this epic tale about the last gunslinger in the world more than 20 years ago; now he draws its suspenseful story to a close, snapping together the last pieces of his action puzzle and drawing Roland Deschain ever closer to his ultimate goal."</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">The part we're waiting for. The part we all read seven big books for. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">I realized at least two or three books ago that there would be no way he could end it that would please everybody. And as I read on, I had no idea how he'd end it and decided to have no preconceived notions or hopes. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/54/Thedarktower7.jpg/200px-Thedarktower7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/54/Thedarktower7.jpg/200px-Thedarktower7.jpg" width="260" /></a><span style="line-height: 19px;">I can cover what truly bothered me pretty quickly; King's importance in the plot and Flagg's death. Not that I need a 150 page battle between Roland and Flagg, but to be so easily dispatched by a child who would later prove to be absolutely no threat to Roland seems wrong. Was this really the best that Roland's lifelong enemy could do? I don't know, it just doesn't add up. As for King, I didn't like his part in the plot during Song of Susannah (narcissistic) and was hoping it would not dominate the final volume, which it doesn't. I will admit that it didn't turn out as bad as I feared (I half expected Stephen King to be in the top room of the Tower), and I do appreciate that it ties the story to reality through something other than the fictional Tet Corporation in NY. While this is nice, I could have done without King ever having been in the story.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">Others were bothered by the quick deaths of Mordred and the Crimson King. I wasn't. Mordred may have been powerful, but he was still a child; and a sick, dying child at that. He had to make an ill-advised move out of desperation, and I think it was wonderful that Oy was able to die defending Roland. As for the Crimson King, while the battle may have been brief, it was still exciting and not without great word play between Roland and the CK.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">But boy, I sure didn't expect that!</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">I have to say, that upon reading the intro to the final chapter from the Storyteller himself, the warning to not read on and leave the story as it is, I was tempted to do so. I know many wouldn't agree with me, but I think Roland entering the Dark Tower and the doors shutting behind him wouldn't be a bad way to end the book. It would leave it to your imagination, what he would find there. I really almost put it down to sleep on it. But then I thought no, I have to go on. I've come this far!</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">Yes, in a way, the ending is tragic, sad, and extremely unfair. We have read now thousands of pages worth of Roland Deschain's torments and struggles he's gone through to get this far, and then only to have been blasted back to the beginning? It's horrible. It makes you angry. Or at least shocked. A knee jerk reaction might be to say that it was a cop out, that King didn't know how to end the book at went this route at the last minute. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">In a way, yes, I find the ending bittering. My heart really is broken for Roland. I don't think I've ever read a book with an ending that has left me so effected. I even reread the very end of it again this morning over breakfast. Yes, the ending is bittering, and yet, I love it in a lot of ways too. Not love it as in this is the way I think it should have ended, but love it because it knocked me on my backside, love it in the way that you can love a bad thing at times. In a way, to me at least, the ending just might make a little sense. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">It you really think about it ... what did you expect to happen to Roland once he reached the top of the Tower? Would he pass into a sort of Heaven, rejoined with his love Susan and his former Ka mates? That is probably the ending some people wanted. And if that's what happened, I would have been fine with that too. Would he have confronted God himself? And if so, what would Roland have done before such a God? Roland, one of the things that makes him so wonderful, is kind of a jerk. After all that trouble, all that sacrifice, if said God said something Roland didn't like, I think, much like Conan, he'd tell his Maker to take a flying leap, maybe even draw his gun on him and get blasted into nothingness. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">But why this? Why the torture? I think the answer is in Roland himself. I think it's a sort of punishment for Roland's arrogance and pride. I think Roland's destiny was to save the Beam, save the Dark Tower. He did that. But he insisted on moving on. He insisted on going to the top of the Dark Tower, something that is perhaps forbidden by Gan or the Powers That Be. He saved the Dark Tower, saved the Beam, and yet it was not enough. As always (and as echoed by the voices he hears at the end of the book) he has to have it His way. And for that, I think, like something out of Greek myth, he has to pay a price. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">And as King himself says in the Afterword, there is a bit of hope. In the next incarnation, he has the Horn of Eld. Something he didn't have in the previous. Perhaps, just perhaps, with some more trial and error, once the Beam and the Tower saved (perhaps stilling getting all the way, so as to kill the Crimson King), Roland may just turn around and go back to the Callas, and live out the rest of his days quiet and peacefully, maybe as a sort of Sheriff, then going to the Clearing at the End of the Path, and THEN be united with Susan, Cuthbert, Alain, and the rest. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">Maybe I'm just grateful that King didn't end it the way I feared. The more I read on, and the more sai King appeared, I was terrified and more and more certain that once Roland met face to face with the Crimson King, that it would be Stephen King himself. I even started to fear that the name, the Crimson KING was a clue. Thankfully, I was wrong. And then, I feared even worse, that once he got to the top of the tower, that there he'd find Stephen King, sitting in a pseudo office of sorts, surrounded by old books and manuscripts, as mad as the Hatter, banging away at an old typewriter and tossing the crumpled up pages over his shoulder making a big pile. That's what I feared, and compared to that, I like this ending just fine. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">Thank you Stephen King for giving me a great read and a series to add to my collection.</span></div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-76390273262275149752012-07-11T09:42:00.002+05:302012-07-11T09:57:44.906+05:30The Amazing Spiderman : Not So Amazing Afterall !!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance - leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero. -- (C) Sony"</blockquote>
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Honestly this story line isn't all that original. Spider-Man didn't become a wrestler but wrestling still played a role. The most original thing they did was make Peter Parker feel like a regular teenager while still making him socially awkward but very intelligent. Honestly the story line in itself almost mixes effortlessly both the Ultimate version and the mainstream version of Mary and Richard Parker. The secretive work they did seems to show their CIA side in the mainstream universe, but their scientific side seems to show the Ultimate versions really well. Oz is used in the movie showing another nod to the Ultimate side, and the Lizard's master plan is actually taken out from his mainstream side and even his cartoon side back in the 90's. The plot in itself really follows the comics really well mixing concepts from the two biggest and most respected versions of Peter Parker.<br />
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Sorry but I'm still on the bandwagon for the 2002 Spidy being my favourite. The one was just... okay for me. But the original left a big impact on me. Maybe because I'm older, and I still remember seeing it in the theatre and all the hype that surrounded it. (Spiderman FINALLY getting a movie) And audiences were not disappointed. It was so brilliantly done. Younger audiences will likely prefer the new one because it's... well, new, and fresh on the screen. But it just didn't leave me with the wonderment that the first one did.<br />
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The Amazing Spider-Man is a movie that’s constantly chasing plotlines. In this telling, Peter has been haunted by the disappearance of his parents since he was a boy. One day, he finds his father’s old briefcase, which leads him to search for answers at Oscorp Laboratories. There, he wanders into an unguarded room (instead of using door locks or retina scans; Oscorp uses touch-based memory puzzles), gets bitten by a genetically-mutated spider (the room is filled with them), and develops his super-speed, agility, reflexes, and strength. Peter is driven to further investigate his parents’ disappearance, until it’s time to catch the guy who killed Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen). Peter then hones his crime-fighting abilities by fighting people who resemble his Uncle’s killer before realizing that maybe he should go after all criminals. Meanwhile, amputee Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), who was a friend of Peter’s father (Campbell Scott), is genetically mutating animals to unlock the secret of regeneration. Naturally, scientific investigation can only lead to horrible things, so Connors regrows his arm only to then transform into a beastly giant reptile known as “The Lizard”. The movie then twists itself in knots to keep making Spider-Man and the Lizard fight.</div>
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And the fights are terrific, as are all the action scenes in The Amazing Spider-Man (If there were any)</div>
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Unfortunately, there’s no good reason for Spider-Man and the Lizard to fight at the high school. Superficially, The Amazing Spider-Man can deliver an exciting ride, but the story is a mess. The Lizard’s master plan doesn’t require him to take time out of his busy villain-schedule to go down to the high school and start fighting with Spider-Man. If anything, it’s a distraction. But the movie needs another action scene, and so it gets one, and it’s a good one, but it’s a pointless one. The movie is constantly skipping ahead and taking shortcuts so it can get to where it needs to be. It gets so bad that at one point, a minor character moves machinery in order to physically get Spider-Man where he needs to be. This kind of sloppy writing means that the plot and character motivations in The Amazing Spider-Man don’t evolve; they simply change directions and then forget about what was happening before. A boy’s search for his missing parents is set up as the heart of this story, and then it’s simply left by the wayside until we’re reminded about it in a scene that takes place in middle of the end credits.</div>
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Amazing Spider-Man is clearly set up as a smaller, more intimate look at the character while trying to eschew blockbuster bombast in a way that makes Webb’s movie look almost like it’s in direct opposition to Sam Raimi‘s big, happy, four-color Spider-Man trilogy. Webb’s movie is supposed to be about the “man” behind the Spider-Man, except the man behind Peter Parker is the wrong man. Andrew Garfield does a wonderful job at conveying the sweetness and inherent goodness of the character, but he can’t get past one gigantic obstacle: he looks like Andrew Garfield. In the film’s attempt to make Peter more modern and realistic, they’ve fallen into a paradox where they have to acknowledge that geeks are now considered “cool”, but Peter is still a geek. Raimi nerded-up Tobey Maguire to play Peter Parker, but Garfield looks like he could just be skateboarding home from a GQ photo shoot. We never believe for a second that Peter is a powerless outsider, so when he gets his powers, it doesn’t feel like a boon for the teenager. If a powerless kid got a little power drunk in a realistic setting, it would be charming and a bit dark (like half of Chronicle). But here it just makes Peter come off like a bully and someone who doesn’t deserve the great power that’s been foisted upon him.</div>
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Garfield almost escapes the problematic character on the page through the strength of his performance, especially when he shares the screen with Emma Stone, who plays Peter’s love-interest, Gwen Stacy. The female lead is one area where The Amazing Spider-Man clearly trounces Raimi’s films. Whereas Mary Jane always felt like the damsel-in-distress, Gwen is smart, funny, and resourceful. We never think of her as someone who needs saving, and while the film is content to brood over a variety of other relationships, it keeps the romance between Peter and Gwen upbeat. There simply isn’t enough of it, and there’s definitely not enough of Stone who gets the film’s funniest moments.</div>
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The movie continues to try and outrun this narrative nonsense until it’s finally consumed by a laughably ridiculous third act where contrivances and new motivations overwhelm the viewer to the point where the film’s positive aspects aren’t enough to save the day. When you see Spider-Man battling a giant reptile on top a skyscraper to save the city from a convenient Doomsday device, you can’t help but wonder, “Wasn’t this movie supposed to be about a powerless kid trying to find out what happened to his parents?” I guess it’s easy to get distracted when you can swing through the air with the greatest of ease.</div>
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My Review : 6/10 (That too for the CGI)</div>
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</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-12731664652938658652012-07-11T08:56:00.001+05:302012-07-11T08:56:33.412+05:30King's Masterpiece : Dark Tower Series : 6. Song of Susannah<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The next-to-last novel in Stephen King's seven-volume magnum opus,Song of Susannah is at once a book of revelation, a fascinating key to the unfolding mystery of the Dark Tower, and a fast-paced story of double-barreled suspense.</span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">To give birth to her "chap," demon-mother Mia has usurped the body of Susannah Dean and used the power of Black Thirteen to transport to New York City in the summer of 1999. The city is strange to Susannah...and terrifying to the "daughter of none," who shares her body and mind.</span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Saving the Tower depends not only on rescuing Susannah but also on securing the vacant lot Calvin Tower owns before he loses it to the Sombra Corporation. Enlisting the aid of Manni senders, the remaining katet climbs to the Doorway Cave...and discovers that magic has its own mind. It falls to the boy, the billy-bumbler, and the fallen priest to find Susannah-Mia, who, in a struggle to cope with each other and with an alien environment "go todash" to Castle Discordia on the border of End-World. In that forsaken place, Mia reveals her origins, her purpose, and her fierce desire to mother whatever creature the two of them have carried to term.</span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eddie and Roland, meanwhile, tumble into western Maine in the summer of 1977, a world that should be idyllic but isn't. For one thing, it is real, and the bullets are flying. For another, it is inhabited by the author of a novel called 'Salem's Lot, a writer who turns out to be as shocked by them as they are by him.</span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">These are the simple vectors of a story rich incomplexity and conflict. Its dual climaxes, one at the entrance to a deadly dining establishment and the other appended to the pages of a writer's journal, will leave readers gasping for the saga's final volume (which, Dear Reader, follows soon, say thank ya)." - From Goodreads.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It took me till the whole of last week till the early hours of wednesday to complete this book and by god what a book it was. It is truly a Magnum Opus of Stephen King. </span></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/42/Song_of_Susannah.jpg/200px-Song_of_Susannah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/42/Song_of_Susannah.jpg/200px-Song_of_Susannah.jpg" width="278" /></span></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Song of Susannah is another brick-of-a-book from King, carefully baked and lobbed lovingly at his constant readers, 400-plus pages (with some beautifully disturbing illustrations by Darrel Anderson, and what are purported to be some of King's notes appended as a Coda) that proceed along three story lines while slowly but inevitably merging toward one. If you haven't read any of the previous Dark Tower novels, Song of Susannah is not the place to jump on. You will be hopelessly lost, and while King writes well here, your enjoyment of the epic tale of Roland the Gunslinger and his quest to save the Tower and all that is will be enhanced one hundred-fold if you have some idea of what the heck is going on. This is a complex, rich tale of multiple worlds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />This installment contains no summary; there is simply an immediate jump into that fabled land of "(w)hen we last left off..." which, in Wolves the Calla, was the victory of Roland and the People of Calla Bryn Sturgis over the Wolves. That joy of victory was tempered by the departure of a pregnant Susannah Dean through the Doorway Cave (I meant it when I said to read the previous books!). Right off the bat, though, things do not go quite as planned. A Beamquake shakes the foundations of all the worlds, and we learn that the Tower is in much greater jeopardy than we may have previously suspected. And as always, wherever Roland goes, gunplay is sure to follow, but this time, it's waiting for him... As Song of Susannah commences, Roland and his band (or ka-tet), with the aid of Manni senders, are transported through the Doorway Cave to where they are most needed. Roland and Eddie Dean find themselves in rural Maine in 1977, while Father Callahan and Jake are transported to late 20th century New York City in pursuit of Susannah.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">King's further explorations into the rich world of the Dark Tower are as rewarding as they ever were. The characters, by now, have become as comfortable as old friends. Still, there are new facets to be seen yet, and we get a closer look at each of them as the story goes on. </span>This tale, however, is primarily Susannah's. Her body has been usurped by Mia, a demon-made flesh, in pursuit of Susannah's unborn child. A good deal of Song of Susannah consists of the internal dialogue between Susannah and Mia; Susannah, as a result, experiences several revelations regarding such topics as the true identity of the father of her child, as well as the prophetic purpose of his conception, and the unspeakably evil force that will stop at nothing to see that it is brought to birth.</span></div>
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Roland and Eddie, meanwhile, make an important side trip to force an encounter with a local writer who is rapidly gaining notoriety as the result of his recently published novel titled Salem's Lot and who may hold the key to their entire quest. The paths of Roland and Eddie, and Callahan and Jake, slowly converge toward Susannah as she gives birth to her child in most unpleasant circumstances. </div>
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One thing is certain : love it or hate it, "Song of Susannah" is King's riskiest and most surprising work yet. One the one hand, he is taking one of the most overused plot elements in fiction -- the baby of uncertain parentage -- and making something original and interesting out of it. On the other, he is attempting something seen in modern fiction only rarely... a self-relaxive work that engages the reader on multiple levels. By the end of "Song of Susannah" you may find yourself thinking about the realities that fiction creates, and the fictions that "real" life presents us with every day. And if you do, I believe that is entirely the point. King seems to be angling not only toward a conclusion to Roland's quest, but also toward a deeply personal statement about what it is to be a writer. It is an ambitious road to travel, but so far, King has not let us down. In fact, what he has begun with this book has the potential to exceed all the expectations I had for it.</div>
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'Ware, Constant Reader: "Song of Susannah," like "The Waste Lands," ends with a cliffhanger. In fact, there is not only one cliffhanger here, but two. The last pages of "Song of Susannah" should leave many readers, as it left me, powerfully hungry for the final book in the series. What lies in wait on the final page is, to say the least, quite a shock. It leaves the fate of Roland and his companions, as well as that of the Tower itself, enshrouded in doubt.</div>
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"One more turn of the path, and then we reach the clearing."</div>
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I, for one, can't wait to get there. </div>
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Be cautioned: the last (well, almost the last) 20 pages of Song of Susannah are among the most nightmarish (heh heh) that King has ever written. These passages induced my forced insomnia. I hope they don't do the same to you.</div>
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</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-4942283231455978622012-07-02T08:51:00.000+05:302012-07-02T08:51:00.541+05:30King's Masterpiece : Dark Tower Series : 5. Wolves of the Calla<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span id="freeText9369304968041254566">"The fifth installment of
King's #1 "New York Times" masterpiece. Roland and his tet have just
returned to the path of the Beam when they discover that they are being
followed by a group of inexperienced trackers. The trackers are from the
town of Calla Bryn Sturgis, and they desperately need the help of
gunslingers. Once every generation, a band of masked riders known as the
Wolves gallop out of the dark land of Thunderclap to steal one half of
all the twins born in the Callas. When the children are returned, they
are roont, or mentally and physically ruined. In less than a month, the
Wolves will raid again. In exchange for Roland’s aid, Father Callahan—a
priest originally from our world—offers to give Roland a powerful but
evil seeing sphere, a sinister globe called Black Thirteen which he has
hidden below the floorboards of his church. Not only must Roland and his
tet discover a way to defeat the invincible Wolves, but they must also
return to New Yorks so that they can save our world’s incarnation of the
Dark Tower from the machinations of the evil Sombra Corporation."</span></blockquote>
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Maybe not the best in the series...I still think the fourth book holds that place, but well worth the wait.</div>
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is in this book we see the characters finally work together as trained
Gunslingers. Each of the characters has a pressing problem and hardship
in their lives, and yet they must put them aside to help the children of
the Calla . How these characters deal with their own monumental
problems and act as true heroes at the same time is a reflection of the
fact they have become true gunslingers, following Roland.</div>
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King
also takes the opportunity to let this book show us more of Roland's
world and culture. I found the dance Roland did at the start of the book
fascinating, and the society of goddess worshiping disk throwing women
seemed like they might have walked out of the pages of Roman Mythology.
King does a great job rounding the culture, and giving us views of the
world just as if we were reading a historical fiction, instead of high
fantasy.</div>
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Wolves of the Calla, at 736 pages, is the longest yet of
the series. But the length is justified as King takes time to create
characters and places so real, you feel as if you might have been there
before in some odd and half forgotten dream. He builds suspense to the
final battle with the Wolves, and then makes that battle as fast, and
horrible as any real war skirmish.</div>
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Many complained about the
references to pop culture, Kings other works, and aspects of the "real"
world, but I thought they only served to make the idea of the Tower as
an axis of reality more believable. Making himself a real, yet invisible
character in the book gave me a little shiver, after all...if King is
real in that world so am I and all his readers. Heh heh heh. It only
served to make the sense of so many realities tied in one moment of fate
more grand.</div>
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King also makes the themes of choices and payment
for those choices central. Lives are altered forever by the Calla's
choice to go along with the Wolves so long. Susannah's brave choice of
using her sexuality as a weapon against the portal demon in book 3 is
now coming due for payment as the birth of her monstrous child
approaches. The choice the Father makes in forcing Roland's hand to not
offer Susannah an abortion is about to be paid. Yet, King doesn't
moralize these choices. He shows each character as someone who simply
made the best choice they could. There is a great tragedy in this, and
also a great beauty. </div>
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I recommend this to anyone who has found
their hearts tied to the fate of the brave little Ka-Tet. To anyone who
has not read the others, go back to book one first and take the journey
to this one. Only then will you truly understand the path that these
brave gunslingers have walked so far, to save the tower and all
realities. And you will understand how far the along the path they
really have still to go.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Wolves of the Calla is an excellent blend of horror, science fiction and
fantasy. It is entertaining and thought provoking. King develops the
characters in a way that makes them human and allows the events to flow
like a river downstream... into the gaping mouth of a blood thirsty
monster. In this alternate universe nothing is what it seems, yet
everything has an air of familiarity. It is in this familiarity that
King frightens us the most, because there is nothing more frightening
that the alternate reality of King's mind.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hold on to your horses, kids. Its going to be a hell of a ride. </div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-3624449633161297272012-06-22T08:41:00.000+05:302012-06-22T08:41:12.938+05:30King's Masterpiece : Dark Tower Series : 4. Wizard and Glass<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText7027576159441855257"><em>"Wizard and Glass</em>
picks up where the last book left off, with our hero, Roland, and his
unlikely band of followers escaping from one world and slipping into the
next. And it is there that Roland tells them a story, one that details
his discovery of something even more elusive than the Dark Tower: love.
But his romance with the beautiful and quixotic Susan Delgado also has
its dangers, as her world is tom apart by war. Here is Roland's journey
to his own past, to a time when valuable lessons awaited him, lessons of
loyalty and betrayal, love and loss."</span></blockquote>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7f/Wizard_and_Glass.jpg/200px-Wizard_and_Glass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7f/Wizard_and_Glass.jpg/200px-Wizard_and_Glass.jpg" width="272" /></a> "Wizard and Glass," Volume IV of Stephen King's fantasy/western "Dark
Tower" series is even better than the three books which preceded it. I
didn't think it would be possible to top "The Wastelands," Book III, but
King has accomplished the task with great elan. The author's tremendous
talents and consistency as a writer are evident here. I can only advise
the reader not to begin this novel during a busy period in your life,
as it will cause you to miss all sorts of deadlines. I really found it
difficult to put this page-turner down.<br /><br />The novel opens with a
wrap-up of the cliffhanger which began in Book Three, where bizarre
Blaine, the psychotic, riddle-loving monorail tries to take the stoic
Gunslinger and his companions on a suicide trip to a terminal
destination. Given the dark humor, it's a really fun ride. The band of
four...and a half, the Gunslinger, Eddie, Susannah, Jake and their
talking dog-like pet, Oy the Bumbler, disengage from the wreckage of
Blaine, and continue along the path of the Beam toward the Dark Tower.
They finally take a rest, around a campfire, while Roland narrates the
details of his quest, the whys and wherefores behind his decision to
take this particular course. He tells the tragic tale of his lost love,
Susan, and his beloved friends and companions Cuthbert and Alain, who
all formed a magnificent Ka-tet, (King's word for a group of people
drawn together by fate). These characters have been brought up in prior
novels and all played a formidable role in Roland's past life...one
which will haunt him to the ends of the changing world. "Wizard and
Glass" is more a traditional fantasy novel than the other, more darkly
fantastic books in the series. The forces of magic aren't often on the
side of Roland and his friends, so they must rely on their wits or their
weapons instead.<br /><br />Roland's father, the best Gunslinger who ever
lived, sent him away from the Inner Baronies and looming danger, with
his closest friends Cuthbert and Alain. All were disguised and took
aliases. They arrived at their destination, the small seaside town of
Hambry, in Mejis, on the outskirts of Mid-World, ostensibly to count the
taxable goods for the Affiliation. The trio discovered that there was
trouble brewing here also, worse than that in Gilead. They were in much
more danger in the Barony of Mejis than they would have been staying at
home. The town's officials had secretly defected to the side of John
Farson, "The Good Man," whose armed revolution was gradually destroying
the world. Farson's group planned to use oil wells and refineries, built
during the long-ago Age of the Old Ones, to create gasoline to power
weapons of war. These relics of the past, and other resources, lay right
outside Hambry. Cut off from communications and support, Roland,
Cuthbert and Alain were up against powerful adversaries, men of evil and
ill will, as they attempted to foil the plot.<br /><br />On their first
night in Hambry, Roland met beautiful Susan Delgado, just sixteen, a
year or so older than he. The two fall deeply in love. Unfortunately she
had been coerced into giving her promise to the lecherous, aging Mayor
to be his future lover, (and future mother of his child - he hoped). His
wife had been unable to bear him children after 40 years of marriage.
Susan was unable to break the contract without staining her family's
honor. The young lovers entered into an illicit affair - one which
endangered the lives of them all.<br /><br />It is difficult to summarize
the richly detailed and intricate plot of "Wizard and Glass" and do it
justice. The characters, major and minor, are outstanding - they just
come to life on the page. There's the ancient witch who becomes addicted
to Farson's pink crystal ball, and whose hatred for Susan will prove to
be disastrous for the Ka-tet; Jonas the failed gunslinger, banished to
the West long ago, and his two cronies - all in Mejis to do Farson's
work; Cordelia, Susan's deranged aunt who is eaten up by jealousy, guilt
and her own pettiness; Sheemie, who is devoted to Cuthbert for saving
his life, and proves to be loyal and courageous - an honorary member of
the Ka-tet. And, of course there's young Roland, the newly made
Gunslinger, who longs to lead his friends with honor and be worthy of
his father's name; Alain, serious, noble and gifted with the Sight;
Cuthbert the cutup, who is so like Eddie; Susan, a strong young woman,
with her dream of first love finally realized, and so much to lose. King
demonstrates a huge talent for creating a wide variety of characters
and weaving them into a credible community. His narrative is rich in
vivid detail and the pace is fast-going enough that I had a problem
deciding where to pause. Ultimately, the reader is given an
understanding of why Roland is the man he is. And this is a good place
to acquire it. Roland, while never unsympathetic, has always seemed a
bit too stoic - a hard, ruthless, unsentimental man who will kill for
his cause.<br /><br />I think this is one of Stephen King's best book ever, and
certainly one of the best novels I have read in a long time. One of the
high points, for me, is the way the author brings in characters and
themes from his other books, pointing out to the reader that the figures
of evil in all his work are the same throughout - no matter what their
names. Whatever the storyline, the purpose of total destruction remains
consistent. It may have taken the author a long time to get this book
out, but it is sure worth it. "The Dark Tower" is really Stephen King at
his best and most ambitious. He examines here, in this extraordinary
epic, the importance of mythology, and of the quest, in man's life! Very
highly recommended!</div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-19576689216740068462012-06-10T20:09:00.000+05:302012-06-10T20:09:32.692+05:30King's Masterpiece : Dark Tower Series : 3. The Waste Lands<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">Roland, the last gunslinger, moves
ever closer to the dark tower of his dreams and nightmares as he travels
through city and country in Mid-World - a macabre world that is a
twisted image of our own. With him are those he has drawn to this world:
street smart Eddie and courageous wheelchair-bound Susannah. Ahead of
him are mind-bending revelations about who and what is driving him.
Against him is arrayed a swelling legion of foes-- both more and less
than human.</span> </div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/49/The_Waste_Lands.jpg/200px-The_Waste_Lands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/49/The_Waste_Lands.jpg/200px-The_Waste_Lands.jpg" width="267" /></a>When Stephen King began the Dark Tower series with the collection of
short stories that made up The Gunslinger, his guarded vision of a
magnificent fantasy world tantalized readers with a glimpse of something
that left us with one thought...MORE. The next book, The Drawing of
the Three, satisfied that craving, filled with vibrant, exotic creatures
and locales and giving King's audience its first full-scale look at
Mid-World. The third Dark Tower novel, The Waste Lands, is a
continuation of what I think is the high point of creativity in Stephen
King's career. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Drawing of the Three and The Waste Lands are the two
books where King reached his full potential to write fantasy, action,
and adventure. The novel opens with Roland, Eddie, and Susannah
battling an 80-foot cyborg bear infested with disease and writhing white
worms. After surviving this monstrosity, Roland's mind is nearly torn
apart by a paradox he created in the last book when he saved Jake from
the death he suffered in the first book. In a twist I never expected,
the narrative picks up from Jake's perspective, whose mind is also
stricken when he survives the moment his mind insists was to be his
death. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a fascinating turn of events, Jake is drawn into Mid-World
through a door the ka-tet creates in the middle of a speaking ring
similar to the one in which Roland learned about his future in The
Gunslinger. Jake is revealed to be the true third that was to be drawn
in order for Roland to continue his quest. However, during the drawing,
Susannah must "entertain" a demon the same way Roland did to get his
prophecy, which in a later book is developed into one of the most
shocking twists of the entire series.<br /><br />After completing the group,
the companions set out together on their way to the Tower, gaining a
new member in Oy the billy-bumbler. This strange cross between a dog
and a raccoon delights the group with his gold-ringed eyes and
incredible intelligence, which allows him to speak and count at a
rudimentary level. However, not long after Jake is rescued, the
travelers are beset by Gasher, a diseased mercenary of Lüd who kidnaps
Jake. Oy sets off after him with Roland following close behind. A
thrilling chase ensues, culminating with a face-off between Roland,
Gasher, and the Tick-Tock Man, a gigantic descendant of the mythical
Lord Perth. With Oy's help, Roland kills his enemies, saves Jake, and
races to find Eddie and Susannah. Once reunited, the group boards
Blaine the Mono, a train run by a computer gone mad that carries them
through The Waste Lands. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The horrible, unnatural, mutated creatures
they see in The Waste Lands turn out to be the least of their troubles,
as Blaine voices its intentions to commit suicide at the end of its run,
thereby killing Roland and his companions. King left the story on this
gut-wrenching cliffhanger, torturing fans by making them wait six years
to see how the dilemma is resolved. Just like the book that preceded
it, The Waste Lands is an amazing, fast-paced ride full of thrilling
story and dazzling creativity. I love the entire Dark Tower series, but
I don't think Stephen King ever got quite as good at this type of
writing as he did with the second and third books. The Waste Lands
remains of the most impressive achievements of his career.
</div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com2Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-29384665769329120932012-06-03T12:48:00.000+05:302012-06-03T12:48:42.687+05:30King's Masterpiece : Dark Tower Series : 2. The Drawing of the Three<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>"After his confrontation with the man in black at the end of <b>The Gunslinger</b>,
Roland awakes to find three doors on the beach of Mid-World's Western
Sea—each leading to New York City but at three different moments in
time. Through these doors, Roland must "draw" three figures crucial to
his quest for the Dark Tower. In 1987, he finds Eddie Dean, The
Prisoner, a heroin addict. In 1964, he meets Odetta Holmes, the Lady of
Shadows, a young African-American heiress who lost her lower legs in a
subway accident and gained a second personality that rages within her.
And in 1977, he encounters Jack mort, Death, a pusher responsible for
cruelties beyond imagining. Has Roland found new companions to form the
ka-tet of his quest? Or has he unleashed something else entirely?" </i></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3a/The_Drawing_of_the_Three.jpg/200px-The_Drawing_of_the_Three.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3a/The_Drawing_of_the_Three.jpg/200px-The_Drawing_of_the_Three.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King is the second book in the Dark
Tower series. After having read The Gunslinger, I was impressed with how the plot came to life and next to it this is one of the finest
books I've read in a very long time that doesn't deal with elves and
dragons. Many readers have said that the Dark Tower series gets only
better with every book.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />The book starts off a couple of
hours later right after the ending of The Gunslinger. Roland's quest to
find the Dark Tower actually begins (sorta) and for that to happen, he
needs the help of three other individuals. Now, it's really hard not to
spoil things here but I'm guessing by looking at the book cover, you
should already have surmised that Roland will somehow have to travel
through magical doorways to seek said individuals. The idea behind this
is brilliant yet I'm sure some readers will think that this is hardly
anything original. Well, this book was first published in 1987 and so it
clearly shows the brilliant mind of the author.<br /><br />As you could
have guessed, each individual behind that doorway with which Roland has a
connection to all have different personalities and personal problems.
Technically, there are three doorways and so there are three different
stories altogether. I loved each and every one of them! Because this
whole concept with the doors is new to the readers, the author spends a
lot of time going over things with the first character that Roland
connects to. The funny thing is how conversations can go because Roland
is so different, being as he is from a different time. I really don't
want to write too much because it will only spoil things. I never had a
problem writing reviews but here, I'm having a problem finding words
because everything seems like a possible spoiler!<br /><br />The atmosphere
and setting with The Drawing of the Three is amazing. In Roland's world,
everything is bleak and dreary. This lends to a very isolated feeling
and you can actually feel the struggles of the characters and what they
are having to go through. However, I feel that this second book is
actually another introductory book in the story. Hopefully with Roland
finally having drawn the three, his adventure in search of the Dark
Tower can finally begin. Technically, I know that the author has about
five more books to complete his story but I'm hoping the next book the
real adventure would begin.<br /><br />What makes The Drawing of the Three
so special is that it has a little bit of everything. It shows that this
world really is full of unique and special individuals and at any
moment, their life could be changed by some event. The writing is also
very solid. There really wasn't a boring part throughout the book.
Everything is just so gripping and part of it is you genuinely want to
find out what happens next! This sounds absurd when I write it but for
those who have read a book that you felt it was literally too hard to
put down, you'll know what I'm talking about. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Stephen King really knows
how to blend so many different elements together in a book and actually
making them stick. Right now, Roland still feels like a little mystery
to me. Sure, I know his overall demeanor and what he's about but I feel
as if there is so much more that the author is holding back for later.
But whatever the case, this book has definitely sparked my interest in
the Dark Tower series. Luckily for me, every book has already been
released so no waiting!!! </div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-67746128652488736562012-05-30T23:27:00.000+05:302012-05-30T23:27:10.958+05:30King's Masterpiece : Dark Tower Series : 1. The Gunslinger<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">In THE GUNSLINGER, Stephen King
introduces readers to one of his most enigmatic heroes, Roland of
Gilead, the Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner, on a
spellbinding journey into good and evil, in a desolate world which
frighteningly echoes our own.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">In
his first step towards the powerful and mysterious Dark Tower, Roland
encounters an alluring woman named Alice, begins a friendship with Jake,
a kid from New York, and faces an agonizing choice between damnation
and salvation as he pursues the Man in Black.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Both grippingly realistic and eerily dreamlike, THE GUNSLINGER leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/db/The_Gunslinger.jpg/200px-The_Gunslinger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/db/The_Gunslinger.jpg/200px-The_Gunslinger.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What can be said about "The Gunslinger" and "The Dark Tower" that hasn't
already been said? In truth, probably very little. But here goes...<br /><br />I
approached this series as a steadfast avoider of King's works. Growing
up as a child, I'd seen a few of his films and read none of his
books and for the most part I believed King's body of work to be a
thing I would never actively seek out. That's not to say it was bad or
that it was even distasteful. But I'd ignorantly resigned myself to the
fact that all of King's works were of the horror genre, and that
simply did not interest me. So vested was I in this belief that as I
entered my teens and became more and more aware that King's stories
spanned a much broader swathe of the literary buffet table, even so I
was unwilling to give King's books a chance.<br /><br />I'd seen "It" as a
child and it properly frightened me. I'd seen both versions of "The
Shining". I'd seen "Misery" several times before I was 14. These were
all films that made me 'uncomfortable'. Yet I found "Misery" to be a
fascinating film and willingly returned to. I saw and enjoyed "The
Green Mile", only to discover later that it was a work of King's. The
same was true for "Schawshank".<br /><br />The evidence was slamming me in
the face like a brick that there were great stories to be
enjoyed by Mr King, and yet I steadfastly refused to give most of King's
work a chance. "The Dark Tower" certainly wasn't going to receive a
moment of my attention. My friend mentioned he was reading the
series and how good it was. Indeed I was aware of the series, as you
couldn't enter any bookstore without seeing them everywhere. The series
had recently (at the time) been republished in anticipation of the the
release of books VI and VII, concluding the series. The lasting image
in my mind was that acid-green cover to "The Waste Lands" all over every
bookshop window in town. It looked grim...it looked dark...it said
"Stephen King" on the cover. Despite having a healthier appetite for
the horror genre than I'd had in my youth, despite knowing full-well
that King wrote excellent stories, despite actually knowing absolutely
nothing whatsoever about the plot of the books I couldn't have
possibly cared less.<br /><br />It was about two years ago when I stumbled
upon a story surrounding the planned film adaptation of the series that I
began to take interest. The story mentioned very briefly (a single
paragraph) that (and I'm paraphrasing), [Stephen King's epic, inspired
by such works as J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' and westerns
such as 'Gunsmoke' and Sergio Leone's "Man with No Name Trilogy"
starring Clint Eastwood, would soon be adapted into a major motion
picture series.]<br /><br />I was flabbergasted. I was a life-long Tolkien
fan myself and couldn't believe that this man whom I'd spent so much of
my time actively avoiding could possibly have anything in common with my
favourite author of all-time. I immediately began researching "The
Dark Tower" (initially expecting to find that the author of the
aforementioned article would surely have made some grave error). I soon
learned that Stephen King had indeed been inspired by Tolkien in his
youth, as had so many of his generation. I read that King had decided
that he wanted to write a fantasy (not horror!) epic of his very
own...but that he didn't want it to be concerned with elves, wizards and
dragons as there was so much of that around already. It had been done
well (by Tolkien) and it had been done a lot (by everyone else). The
market was saturated.<br /><br />Instead, King opted to wait...and
contemplated what would become "his" epic. This eventually came to be
published in a seven-volume series (soon to contain an eighth) beginning
with "The Gunslinger"...which is what this review is really supposed to
be about anyway.<br /><br />The very fact that a 'fantasy' series could
involve a 'Gunslinger' rather than...well, rather than what I was
accustomed to seeing in my fantasy stories...was enough for me to track
down an online-copy of the first chapter of "The Gunslinger". Like so
many before me, I was hooked from the first line.<br /><br />"The Man in Black fled across the desert, and The Gunslinger followed."<br /><br />An
absolutely perfect way to begin a tale, and I rank it just as highly as
ever I have Tolkien's own introduction to his world, "In a hole in the
ground there lived a hobbit." It's a short line...a memorable
line...and it instantaneously demanded my attention. It forced me to
read on, made me want to know more.<br /><br />Who was this Man in Black?
Why was he fleeing and who was he fleeing from? Was he fleeing from The
Gunslinger, or was he unaware he was being tracked and was simply
fleeing for other reasons? And who was The Gunslinger? Why did he
chase this unnamed man, who must surely be a villain (being so attired)?<br /><br />We
soon learn that The Gunslinger is Roland Deschain, and his role as
"Gunslinger" could be equated to "Keeper of the Peace", "Preserver",
even "knight". It is or was his task to stop his world from 'moving
on'...but he has failed in his task to do so. The world has moved
on Roland is the last of his kind and nothing is as it used to be.
The changes which are happening are linked to the mysterious Man in
Black, and the mythical tower, which supposedly stands as the
centre the intersection of many words or universes. A change is
happening there, and not for the better. Roland's quest is to reach
this tower for what ultimate purpose is not known. Will he
succeed? what friends and enemies will he make along the way? The
choices he makes will affect not only his world, but all worlds
including our own. But is it choice, or is it Ka..."destiny"?<br /><br />I
approached this series as a lover of Tolkien's works. It is with such
an eye and mind that I have unavoidably cast judgement upon Roland
Deschain and his world, his friends, his quest and his stories. Tolkien
believed that an author does not 'create' stories. The stories are
already there like leaves on a great tree of stories. An author simply
finds or selects the story and it is his job to tell it in a
successful way a task he referred to as 'sub-creation'. Tolkien
believed that with any genre this sub-creation was the difficult part of
storytelling, and the trick to successful sub-creation was to do so in
such a way so as to encourage your readers to invest in and believe in
your story. Once you question it once you begin to think that what
you're reading doesn't work or make sense, the spell is broken and the
art of sub-creation has failed.<br /><br />Tolkien believed this to be
particularly difficult when dealing with the fantasy genre. After all,
it's much easier to get a reader to invest in and believe in a story
concerning 'real world' events such as modern or historically factual
warfare, a detective story, a romance novel, murderous thriller than
it is to ask a reader to believe a man can fly, or that dragons walked
the earth, or that hobbits used to be as natural a part of this world as
men. If you can tell such a story sub-create it successfully and
your readers are invested and come along willingly to where you take
them then you truly have made something special.<br /><br />I am proud to
say that Stephen King has made a convert of me. Not only am I enamored
with King's sub-creation of all things concerning Roland, but I have a
strong desire to read other works by King, particularly those which
"link" or "connect" with "The Dark Tower" (e.g., 'The Stand'). That is
perhaps the greatest praise I can offer, considering my previously
ignorant and stubborn unwillingness to try to meet him halfway.
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-27138420145353678472012-05-21T10:11:00.001+05:302012-05-21T10:11:23.449+05:30Mythology at its best!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As soon as I had read (and reviewed) “The Immortals of Meluha“, I knew I had to read the sequel. It was too interesting to leave the trilogy midway and not know what happens next. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/78/The_Secret_of_the_Nagas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/78/The_Secret_of_the_Nagas.jpg" width="256" /></a>"The secret of the Nagas" is the second part of the Shiva trilogy and is
a sequel to the book "The immortals of Meluha. It's a fictional account
of the famous Indian god Lord Shiva. The second book begins exactly
where the first had ended, in the land of the Chandravanshis, Swadweep.
Shiva is trying to find the Nagas who have killed Brahaspati, a brother
like figure to Shiva. While on the trail he discovers various facts,
meets different people making him ponder about good and evil while also
uncovering many interesting facts about the Nagas. Various events lead
him to question his mission and if it actually serves it's purpose.<br /><br />The
Secret of the Nagas is a fitting sequel to the Immortals of Meluha.
This book leaves you with the same experience as the previous one
although it's never repetitive and even more adventurous. As you read
more you seep into Indian mythology discovering various facts about
gods, rivers, war techniques, customs of various sects, religion,
cultural practices while never being disengaged from the plot. As, in
the first book Shiva is always on the move, traveling to different
places. His relationship with Sati and other central characters evolve
and many new characters are also introduced. The author gives a very
good back story to each character and does a very good job in providing
the perspectives of different cultures through the characters.<br /><br />Being
Indian, I have grown up on stories of different gods giving numerous
examples of bravery, good and their quest in the destruction of evil.
But, there was always an alien connection with the stories, in the sense
that the stories told comprised of people who were more than the
average human making the characters always larger than life and
non-believable. The best part of this trilogy is, it sort of dispels
that notion and treats the protagonist, Shiva, like a regular individual
but with the exception that the destiny of God awaits him, making it
lot easier to relate with the character. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
All in all, the book was a
fantastic read, continuously engaging and adventurous. The suspense and
the interesting dialogues never let the book get boring. The negative
points of the book are that the writing lacks at times, not providing
the "punch" that maybe needed in certain situations. Also, Shiva's
character can be further explored but the author always limits himself.
He never delves into his feelings, the reader is left with a certain
disappointment that, most of the time, only his actions rather than his
feelings are written about. But, the plot is executed perfectly and the
pieces fit into the puzzle without any blemishes. So, I would definitely
recommend this book. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is definitely a must read and like I said when reviewing The
Immortals of Meluha: "Should you read this book? Definitely. But if you
hate cliff hangers (which is how this part ends) then you may be better
off waiting for all the books to be released before starting on this."
Part 3 : Oath of the Vayuputras is sue for release sometime next year. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-7469047181914245282012-05-14T09:41:00.000+05:302012-05-14T09:41:28.806+05:30An excellent work and a great take in Indian Mythology<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Part 1 of the Shiva Trilogy from Amish Tripathi. One of the first books
by an Indian author to be introduced by a viral video on youtube.<br /><br />The
story of The Immortals of Meluha is set in 1900BC and operates on the
premise that Shiva was a mortal, a simple man whom legend turned into
God.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />Amish summarises his fundamental premises as:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0e/The_Immortals_Of_Meluha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0e/The_Immortals_Of_Meluha.jpg" width="265" /></a><br />"I believe that the Hindu gods were not mythical beings or a figment of a rich imagination. I believe that they were creatures of flesh and blood, like you and me. I believe that they achieved godhood through their karma, their deeds. With these premises, an interesting read is assured."<br /><br />While
parts of the story are rooted in mythology and some parts are
corraborated by history - like the description of town planning by the
Meluhans - most parts are pure speculative fiction.<br /><br />The story is
very interesting and keeps you gripped. I don't want to reveal too much
of the plot here, so let me try to avoid that while sketching out the
basics.<br /><br />The Suryavanshis are the descendants of Lord Ram who have
created an extremely stable society based on strict rules and
regulations. An ideal state except for a few rules that Shiva finds
unfair. Shiva is a Tibetan immigrant, invited to Meluha (the land now
known as the Indus Valley Civilisation) and slowly recognised as a
saviour and deliverer from evil.<br /><br />The evil being the
Chandravanshis - who live on the opposite side of India in Swadweep
between the Ganga and the Brahmaputra, that also holds Ayodhya - the
birth place of Lord Ram.<br /><br />At times the philosophy in the book
sounds like it comes from the Matrix - "You don't earn a title after you
have done your deeds... It doesn't matter what others think. It's about
what you believe. Believe you are the Mahadev and you will be one"<br /><br />But
there are some statements that make you think and reflect and question
previously held assumptions. Amish belives that the cry of Har Har
Mahadev actually stems from the thought Har ek Mahadev - Each one of us,
has it in us to be a Mahadev.<br /><br />A lot has been said about the
language in the book. While the setting is 1900BC, the language is 21st
century AD, with Weapons of Mass Destruction and Departments of
Immigration. At times it is difficult to reconcile the two. Amish in an
interview said that he had a huge struggle with his editor/publisher
about this issue. He wanted the dialogue to be more authentic and his
publisher wanted it more modern.<br /><br />I can empathise with the
editor/publisher. The language makes this an easy book to read and will
defintely increase sales. But purists searching for authenticity will be
disappointed.<br /><br />Personally I enjoyed the book. I can't wait for books 2 and 3. I have my suspicions, but will try and be patient. :)<br /><br />Should
you read this book? Definitely. But if you hate cliff hangers (which is
how this part ends) then you may be better off waiting for all the
books to be released before starting on this.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you are in the least bit interested in Mythology, I guarantee that you will be intrigued.
</div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com2Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-27408052044814044942012-05-09T07:11:00.000+05:302012-05-09T07:12:13.593+05:30The Avengers : The Hulk steals the show!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f9/TheAvengers2012Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f9/TheAvengers2012Poster.jpg" width="432" /></a>I saw the AVENGERS this weekend and, at the
end, my face hurt from grinning so big. The movie unspoiled its contents
and the awesome bits never stopped piling up. I am so wired I can't
form a coherent thought, and so here, instead, is a salvo of
stream-of-consciousness impressions, in whatever order.<br />
<br />
Mark
Ruffalo is simply terrific as the Hulk's alter (and calmer) ego. I
actually prefer his interpretation of Dr. Banner over Bana's and
Norton's. Ruffalo steers away from the deadening angst that made me
fidget in earlier Hulk pictures. He finds a balance. This Banner
exhibits a dry sense of humor but exudes this quirky, low simmer
edginess. And I love Ruffalo's interactions with Downey, Jr., two
swaggerful eggheads matching their test tubes against each other and
applying big words. I like that there's respect between their two
characters. There's an intriguing twist involving Banner's relationship
with the Hulk, of which I won't say more. The Hulk - and this seems to
be a unanimous impression - steals the movie.<br />
<br />
Comic book geeks
like me have recently been dogging Marvel's latest company crossover
event, AVENGERS VS. X-MEN. And, yet, this film demonstrates that,
sometimes, there's nothing more exhilarating than eyeballing an epic
hero vs. hero scrap. Mjolnir, meet the Hulk's face. Have you ever
wondered what happens should Thor's enchanted hammer go up against
Captain America's indestructible shield?<br />
<br />
The plot revolves around
the far-ranging machinations of Loki, Asgardian god of mischief. Those
who've read the AVENGERS' origin in the comic books should note a
smidgen of familiarity, but only a smidgen. The Tesseract artifact plays
a part. The bad guys Loki recruits as an invasion force aren't Skrulls.
Not exactly. Certainly they pose an extinction level threat, alarming
enough that some assembly becomes required.<br />
<br />
Captain America is
well utilized here, although I'm hating his awkward modern-day costume. I
vastly prefered his more practical WWII outfit.<br />
<br />
You and me,
let's kowtow to Joss Whedon. His storytelling has big scope; it has
grandeur. He orchestrates a sprawling, high-profiled cast and just about
gets away with not slighting anyone. He does rely some on your
familiarity with the character development sunk into the prior films. He
manages to tie in various plot threads from previous Marvel pictures.
Although Stark, Cap, and Banner get the lion's share of the spotlight,
Whedon devotes time and space to side characters like the slinky but
lethal spy, the Black Widow, and the likable, unobstrusive Agent
Coulson. If you assume the Black Widow's defining action moment surfaces
in that early interrogation scene, you'd be all kinds of not right.
Scarlett Johansson ticks off Whedon's Buffy box, not only in things
assskickery but also in terms of strong character beats (the Widow's
dialogue with Loki happens to be an acting showcase). She's so much more
here than when she was showcased in IRON MAN 2. But if I could pick out
two people who may have been underused, they would have to be Maria
Hill and Hawkeye. I do feel that Cobie Smulders was wasted.<br />
<br />
I love that, like in the comics, Thor never gives up on his half-brother.<br />
<br />
The
first half hour is essentially a slow burn set-up, but it keeps you
engaged. And at times Whedon does sacrifice narrative for those wild
action sequences, and that's okay, because Whedon treats us to a series
of marvelous cape-on-cape violence (in true Marvel fashion, these heroes
harbor instant grudges against each other). But all those violent
"misunderstandings" merely whet your appetite. Joss doesn't disappoint.
The extended climactic combat sequence - as the Avengers hold the line
against a horde of grotesque invaders from deep space - is off the
charts and immensely gratifying. I'm reminded of the 1990s X-Men cartoon
in which the camera would often track the X-Men in frenzied action, as
they hurtle in and out of the picture, occasionally mingling with each
other only to break off again into individual skirmishes. I was
mesmerized by Whedon's sweeping, organic approach to the battle scenes.<br />
<br />
No
surprise, there are heaps of whip smart one-liners, plenty of them
generated by a smirky Robert Downey, Jr. - and yet even Chris
Hemsworth's regal thunder god elicits chuckles. No contest, though, the
brutalizing Hulk - rendered to savage life in astonishing CG - captures
two of the film's biggest laughs.<br />
<br />
For pure escapism and sheer
fanfare and fan service beyond expectation, THE AVENGERS is the best
superhero movie I have ever seen. I have to see it again. But you, you
make sure to stick around for the embedded scene during the post-credits
and then for the post-credit scene. You may wet your pants.<br />
<br />
Hours and hours later, I'm still big grinning. Joss Whedon actually pulled it off.<br />
<br />
P.S : But seriously there is a movie that's been keeping people getting goosebumps all over when they see the trailer. You guys know what am talking about right?? yes, the epic conclusion to the Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight series : The Dark Knight Rises. Am waiting for it to hit the big screens =)</div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-45084034895538955732012-05-03T08:47:00.000+05:302012-05-03T08:47:10.126+05:30Mocking Jay : A powerful, unflinching look at the effects of war<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This was a brilliant conclusion to the trilogy. I can only compare it
to "Ender's Game" - and that is extremely high praise, indeed.<br /><br />When I first closed the book last night, I felt shattered, empty, and drained.<br /><br />And that was the point, I think. I'm glad I waited to review the book because I'm not sure what my review would have been.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cc/Mockingjay.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cc/Mockingjay.JPG" width="263" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For
the first two books, I think most of us readers have all been laboring
under the assumption that Katniss Everdeen would eventually choose one
of the two terrific men in her life: Gale, her childhood companion or
Peeta, the one who accompanied her to the Hunger Games twice. She'd
pick one of them and live happily ever after with him, surrounded by
friends and family. Somehow, along the way, Katniss would get rid of
the awful President Snow and stop the evil Hunger Games. How one
teenage girl would do all that, we weren't too sure, but we all had
faith and hope that she would.<br /><br />"Mockingjay" relentlessly strips
aside those feelings of faith and hope - much as District 13 must have
done to Katniss. Katniss realizes that she is just as much a pawn for
District 13 as she ever was for the Colony and that evil can exist in
places outside of the Colony.<br /><br />And that's when the reader realizes
that this will be a very different journey. And that maybe the first
two books were a setup for a very different ride. That, at its heart,
this wasn't a story about Katniss making her romantic decisions set
against a backdrop of war.<br /><br />This is a story of war. And what it
means to be a volunteer and yet still be a pawn. We have an entirely
volunteer military now that is spread entirely too thin for the tasks we
ask of it. The burden we place upon it is great. And at the end of
the day, when the personal war is over for each of them, each is left
alone to pick up the pieces as best he/she can.<br /><br />For some, like
Peeta, it means hanging onto the back of a chair until the voices in his
head stop and he's safe to be around again. Each copes in the best way
he can. We ask - no, demand - incredible things of our men and women
in arms, and then relegate them to the sidelines afterwards because we
don't want to be reminded of the things they did in battle. What do you
do with people who are trained to kill when they come back home? And
what if there's no real home to come back to - if, heaven forbid, the
war is fought in your own home? We need our soldiers when we need them,
but they make us uncomfortable when the fighting stops.<br /><br />All of
that is bigger than a love story - than Peeta or Gale. And yet,
Katniss' war does come to an end. And she does have to pick up the
pieces of her life and figure out where to go at the end. So she does
make a choice. But compared to the tragedy of everything that comes
before it, it doesn't seem "enough". And I think that's the point.
That once you've been to hell and lost so much, your life will never be
the same. Katniss will never be the same. For a large part of this
book, we see Katniss acting in a way that we can only see as being
combat-stress or PTSD-related - running and hiding in closets. This
isn't our Katniss, this isn't our warrior girl.<br /><br />But this is what
makes it so much more realistic, I think. Some may see this as a
failing in plot - that Katniss is suddenly acting out of character. But
as someone who has been around very strong soldiers returning home from
deployments, this story, more than the other two, made Katniss come
alive for me in a much more believable way.<br /><br />I realize many out
there will hate the epilogue and find it trite. At first, I did too.
But in retrospect, it really was perfect. Katniss gave her life already
- back when she volunteered for Prim in "The Hunger Games". It's just
that she actually physically kept living.<br /><br />The HBO miniseries,
"Band of Brothers", has a quote that sums this up perfectly. When
Captain Spiers says, "The only hope you have is to accept the fact that
you're already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be
able to function as a soldier is supposed to function: without mercy,
without compassion, without remorse. All war depends upon it."<br /><br />But
how do you go from that, to living again in society? You really don't.
So I'm not sure Katniss ever really did - live again. She just ...
kept going. And there's not really much to celebrate in that. Seeing
someone keep going, despite being asked - no, demanded - to do
unconscionably horrifying things, and then being relegated to the
fringes of society, and then to keep going - to pick up the pieces and
keep on going, there is something fine and admirable and infinitely sad
and pure and noble about that. But the fact is, it should never happen
in the first place.<br /><br />And that was the point, I think. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By the end of the book I realized how true and how perfect the ending
was. This book series was never a "fairytale" story. In war things don't
end with sunshine and butterflies. They end with broken people trying
to pick up the pieces of there life and put them back together the best
way they can. That is the most heroic effort of all. Not killing
President Snow, not defeating an entire army all by yourself. No, a true
hero is someone who has been through hell and decides to still try to
move forward despite the pain and difficulty of each day. Kudos to
Suzanne Collins for giving a generation of people far detached from real
war, the chance to realize that it isn't glorious or rewarding. It's
heartbreaking and you are never the same. </div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com1Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-2976448773328507402012-04-14T10:35:00.001+05:302012-07-11T09:24:04.515+05:30Catching Fire : Definitely Heats Things Up!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em> Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games: She and
fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive.
Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to
her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss
wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his
back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against
the Capitol-a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create. </em></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em>Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she’s afraid she
cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she’s not entirely
convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to
visit the districts on the Capitol’s cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are
higher than ever. If they can’t prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that
they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be
horrifying.</em></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em>In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy,
Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her
more than ever before…and surprising readers at every turn. </em></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.readingrevels.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Catching-Fire-Book-Image-198x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.readingrevels.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Catching-Fire-Book-Image-198x300.jpg" width="264" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em></em>If you thought the Capitol couldn't get any more twisted... you were wrong.<br /><br />The
highly-anticipated sequel to The Hunger Games is the kind of novel that
has you pulling back to take a breath and go, "How did the author think
of this?" (if you can stop turning the pages long enough to breathe)<br /><br />Catching
Fire picks up right where Hunger Games left off. Unrest in the
Districts is growing at an alarming pace and Katniss unwittingly finds
herself the figurehead for the movement against the Capitol. The
characters you loved return for the sequel and the reader must endure
each indignity the Capitol inflicts upon them. It is painful, tortuous,
imaginative and motivating. It is everything The Hunger Games was and
more. It both answers your lingering questions and creates so many new
ones. It challenges you to think and creates such feelings of empathy
for the characters that whenever I had to put the book down, I was
genuinely worried for leaving the characters hanging and couldn't wait
to pick it back up just so they could continue fighting for their lives
and freedoms.<br /><br />Everything I loved about The Hunger Games is
present in Catching Fire: the unique and engrossing storyline;
characters so thoroughly and beautifully described they start to feel
like friends; a fantastical setting that is both real and sad; and
language that is easy to read and yet conveys such a profound meaning.
It has action, romance, horror, hope, despair and, most of all,
humanity. It has sci-fi and politics yet, unlike a lot of books on the
market, they are not "in your face" and are completely approachable.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Collins has done that rare thing. She has written a sequel that
improves upon the first book. As a reader, I felt excited and even
hopeful: could it be that this series and its characters were actually
going somewhere? It certainly helps that at the heart of this
exotic world is a very real girl, the kind lacking even a single
supernatural gift. (Those “real” types seem to be in short supply in
children’s books lately.) Katniss is good with a bow and arrow, not
because she was born that way or struck by lightning, but because she
was poor and hunted to survive (i.e., practice). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a memorable
scene from the first book, Katniss is forced to exhibit her hard-earned
archery skills before a panel of distracted Gamemakers more interested
in the pig being served for dinner. Tired of being “upstaged by a dead
pig,” she sends an arrow straight through the apple in its mouth. A bold
move, but not a terribly well-thought-out one. Katniss is essentially a
kid throwing a tantrum. When she revisits the Gamemakers in “Catching
Fire,” she uses the moment far more deliberately: to draw fire away from
her teammate and break through the veneer of the people who “find
amusing ways to kill us.” </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Katniss is more sophisticated in this
book, and her observations are more acute. We see this when she notices
how much more difficult it is to kill people once you know them, or when
she observes the decadent (and for the reader perhaps uncomfortably
familiar) citizens of the Capitol gorging and then taking pills to make
themselves vomit, or with her gradual realization that she may just
stand for something greater than herself. All this is accomplished with
the light touch of a writer who truly understands writing for young
people: the pacing is brisk and the message tucked below the surface. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One thing I have to say, I was deeply satisfied with the ending of this
book. The first book ended in such a way that I was bothered by it and
itchy for the next book. With the end of Catching Fire, I felt it was
absolutely right and thrilled with the conclusion. But I'm still DYING
for the third and final book of this amazing book series. Which I would start reading and reviewing in the next week or so. Till then cheerio people!!!
</div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-89092809893545912452012-03-25T14:08:00.001+05:302012-03-28T15:04:40.033+05:30The Hunger Games : A Must Read!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation
of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts.
The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the other districts in line by
forcing them to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a
fight-to-the-death on live TV. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i> One boy and one girl between
the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play. The
winner brings riches and favor to his or her district. But that is
nothing compared to what the Capitol wins: one more year of fearful
compliance with its rule. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives
alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence
when she is forced to represent her impoverished district in the Games. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i> But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival,
for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a
contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices
that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i> Acclaimed writer Suzanne Collins, author of the </i><i>New York Times
bestselling Underland Chronicles, delivers equal parts suspense and
philosophy, adventure and romance, in this stunning novel set in a
future with unsettling parallels to our present." </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ab/Hunger_games.jpg/200px-Hunger_games.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ab/Hunger_games.jpg/200px-Hunger_games.jpg" width="264" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Before I started reading Hunger Games, I had read some reviews going
gaga over the book, but I was still not ready for it. The basic story
premise goes something like this:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Set in a post-apocalyptic future,
America is now divided into 12 districts ruled with an iron hand by the
Capitol. The 12 districts each supplies the Capitol with different
products such as coal, agricultural goods, etc. Years ago, there had
been a rebellion by the districts against the Capitol which had been
quashed mercilessly and utterly by the Capitol. As a reminder of the
power the Capitol holds over the destinies of the districts, every year
the Capitol chooses 2 children from each district, between the ages of
12 and 18, to fight in the `Hunger Games', a fight to the death. The
winner is treated as a hero uplifted from the poverty that hounds
everyone else in the districts.<br />
<br />
The event is of course televised,
with compulsory viewing by the people in the districts. The inhumanity
of this comes out when the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen's younger
sister, with no survival skills is chosen for the Games. Long story
short, Katniss volunteers to take her place and enters the Games.<br />
<br />
The
way in which Katniss and Peeta are readied for the Games, they seem like
lambs being fattened before they are sacrificed at the altar. Though
well-meaning, the team provided to them comes across as being immune to
the horrors of the Games. They can only see the glory this could get
them. Not to be overly critical, they do help both Katniss and Peeta get
into a position to win the Games.<br />
<br />
Each character has been perfectly created and moulded. Katniss
comes across as a hugely determined girl, who is extremely competent
for the task for which she has been chosen. Her training in hunting and
survival skills holds her in good stead during the Games. Her unwavering
need to get back to her family, who she believes would not survive
without her, keeps her focused on winning the Games. I found the moral
tug-of-war going on in her head to have She does come across as brutal
and manipulative in the way she uses Peeta's love for her to win support
from sponsors during the games.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Peeta Mellark, who is the other
contestant chosen for the Games from Katniss' district, has been in love
with her throughout his life. This is initially used as a tactic to
garner sponsors for them by their mentor, but it really comes across
during the games, where he sacrifices himself on a number of occasions
to save Katniss' life.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Katniss and Peeta seem to be on opposite ends
of the emotional spectrum. Katniss is brutal while Peeta Is lovable,
Katniss is competent, while Peeta seems to stumble along, Katniss is
driven by the love for her family while Peeta is driven by her love for
Katniss.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Haymitch is the team's mentor who initially comes across as a
highly incompetent drunk. He however, has a big role to play in the
team's winning the Games.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Gale is Katniss' best friend and hunting
partner. They have a relationship where they can tell each other
anything, and there seems to be a connection between him and Katniss.
This gets sidelined due to the publicised love story of Peeta and
Katniss.<br />
<br />
This is a story that touches on so many of the social
aspects that everyone seems to just glide over and brings them into the
spotlight. Each part of the book is a subtle reference to the ills in
our society today. The description of the districts gives us the stark
difference between the haves and have-not in the world today. While
people in the Capitol, without realising it, have too much of
everything, those in the districts barely subsist from one day to the
next. The broadcasting of the Games seems like a direct reference to the
excess of reality shows on television today, and how they seem to pull
in viewers and get them addicted to even the grossest and meanest of
images. Katniss and her friend Gale are afraid of talking ill about the
Capitol in their district and have to go into the jungle to vent their
anger. This alludes to the growing Big Brother attitude of governments
today, where everyone and everything seems to be tracked. There is a
section of the story, where people in the Capitol regurgitate whatever
they have eaten, so that they can stuff themselves some more. Not being
satisfied ever, no matter what you have seems to be the mantra of
today's materialistic world with no end to `the want for more' in sight.<br />
<br />
Although
the build up to the Games seems to stretch out a bit, the Games are
fast paced with not a single dull moment. I found myself holding my
breath on a number of occasions to see what would happen next. The
killings are not unnecessarily brutal, and the blood and gore which is
there in the book seems necessary to get the message across. The
description of scenes is beautiful and left me imagining them as
happening right before my eyes.<br />
<br />
The book had a hold on me and I
could not stop reading it, once the actual Games started. The story,
though brutal left me rooting for the underdog and when, towards the end
Katniss defies the Capitol, I was cheering for the humiliation this
caused the Capitol. It has gotten me thinking of the direction our world
is heading and whether it is something I endorse or oppose. For this I
give the book 5 stars.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If
you enjoy dystopian books, mixed with a lot of un-put-down-able action,
then this book is for you. The Hunger Games is a sure winner.
And this is just the first book read still two more to complete in my reading list. Will Keep you guys updated.</div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com2Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-42271935568674025362012-03-13T10:00:00.000+05:302012-03-22T20:08:01.073+05:30Urban Legends : Remastered<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As a horror fan, I thought I'd seen it all. However, in the near
infinite myriad of programming vying for one's attention, Supernatural
stands out as something both unique and refreshing. If I could sum up
the show in one word, it would be: SPECTACULAR! The beauty of the show
is it takes a simple premise: "the great American road trip" and it
twists and turns it into a whole new entity and places it in the same
category as some of the other great shows in the genre such as the
'X-Files' and 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', yet it still retains its own
identity.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thevoiceoftv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/seaoson6promo_grave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://thevoiceoftv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/seaoson6promo_grave.jpg" width="288" /></a>First off, character development is outstanding. With
only two primary cast members, this was a critical issue to deal with,
but Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles deliver their roles perfectly,
almost as if they were brothers in real life. The tension of the boys'
relationship with their father (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is also a
noteworthy aspect of the show's excellent interpersonal dynamics, as it
transcends the usual conventions and adds layer upon layer of love,
hate, respect, and fear. In addition, throughout the first season each
character evolves as their battle with evil (and good) intensifies. In
the end everyone is stripped of their protective facades and are left
vulnerable and exposed, with nothing but their true personas serving as a
shield against an overwhelming enemy that seemingly can't be stopped.
Not only does this add a boost of realism, but it also charts the
character's growth throughout the season leaving us with complex
individuals instead of stagnant cardboard cutouts reset back to their
"same-old, same-old" status quos by the end of the episode.<br />
<br />
Another
refreshing aspect of the show, is, it doesn't insult the audience.
Existing horror conventions are borrowed, but almost all of them are
updated into something new, as it successfully blends the insider info
found in cult shows with the broader appeal of horror and action for the
more mainstream audience. What we get is a hybrid of the two. On one
hand terms and names of creatures or books are mentioned without any
further explanation alluding to the notion that the show expects you to
have some prior knowledge of the subject matter (such as skinwalkers).
Yet on the other hand it reassures you that if you don't know what
they're talking about, you will by the end of the episode. But there is
never needless exposition. Certainly you'll always get the crucial
information at what's directly involved in the current plot, but the
writers take the liberty of keeping some things a mystery, furthering
the appeal of the show. We as the viewer are assumed to know about some
stuff, but if not, we're guaranteed to eventually know if we hitch a
ride with the Winchester brothers and tag along for the journey.<br />
<br />
Stylistically,
the show hits a home run by its deliberate use of a gritty and rural
gothic look. Ingrained in the series is a blue collar feel, an organic
"earthiness" that lowers our defenses and brings things closer to home.
The Winchesters are not wealthy or flashy, nor are their friends or
allies. And with the exception of the beautiful and elfish Meg (Nicki
Lynn Aycox), most of the characters are designed as every men---the
average Joes that could easily pass as our brothers, fathers, uncles,
neighbors, or friends. These people live cluttered lives far from the
unrealistically neat and pristine glamor found in other shows.
Supernatural is not a trendy new pair of pants, it's the old pair of
faded blue jeans with the holes in the knees that are the most
comfortable to wear. This is also demonstrated by music. Gone is the
high school Emo or current pop hit single, instead we get the Classic
Rock that is so crucial for those long road trips when you need a good
beat to keep you awake while driving the lonely highways at night.<br />
<br />
The
show also boasts some impressive production values. The film crew
makes masterful use of lighting, and they're thankfully not afraid to
film in the dark or to use heavy shadows. I'm also repeatedly impressed
with the excellent sound effects done by the Foley artists and sound
designers.<br />
<br />
So why should you see this? Supernatural is a
crescendo of characterization, horror, action, twists, and sheer
ingenuity that comes to a shocking season finale. It's grounded in the
notion that in our normal, everyday lives, something evil lurks just out
of sight ready to strike, and odds are you won't be able to handle it
without the help of two men in a black '67 Impala.<br />
<br />
If you're a
fan of horror, urban legends, or just in the mood to watch something
new, you owe it to yourself to check this show out. It's well worth
your time.
</div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com2Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-51864347339113245292012-03-12T10:00:00.000+05:302012-03-12T10:00:00.889+05:30How To : 1.Recovering Your Pictures After Accidental Deletion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Have you ever accidentally deleted a photo on your camera, computer,
USB drive, or anywhere else? What you might not know is that you can
usually restore those pictures—even from your camera’s memory stick. Windows tries to prevent you from making a big mistake by providing
the Recycle Bin, where deleted files hang around for a while—but
unfortunately it doesn’t work for external USB drives, USB flash drives,
memory sticks, or mapped drives. Luckily there’s another way to recover
deleted files.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The first piece of software that you’ll want to try is called Recuva,
and it’s extremely easy to use—just make sure when you are installing
it, that you don’t accidentally install that stupid Yahoo! toolbar that
nobody wants.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="" class="lazyLoad" height="431" src="http://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/image157.png" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="image" width="545" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now that you’ve installed the software, and avoided an awful toolbar
installation, launch the Recuva wizard and let’s start through the
process of recovering those pictures you shouldn’t have deleted.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="" class="lazyLoad" height="453" src="http://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/image158.png" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="image" width="545" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The first step on the wizard page will let you tell Recuva to only
search for a specific type of file, which can save a lot of time while
searching, and make it easier to find what you are looking for.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="" class="lazyLoad" height="453" src="http://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/image159.png" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="image" width="545" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Next you’ll need to specify where the file was, which will obviously
be up to wherever you deleted it from. Since I deleted mine from my
camera’s SD card, that’s where I’m looking for it.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="" class="lazyLoad" height="453" src="http://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/image160.png" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="image" width="545" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The next page will ask you whether you want to do a Deep Scan. My
recommendation is to not select this for the first scan, because usually
the quick scan can find it. You can always go back and run a deep scan a
second time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="" class="lazyLoad" height="453" src="http://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/image161.png" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="image" width="545" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And now, you’ll see all of the pictures deleted from your drive,
memory stick, SD card, or wherever you searched. Looks like what
happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas after all…</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If there are a really large number of results, and you know exactly
when the file was created or modified, you can switch to the advanced
view, where you can sort by the last modified time. This can help speed
up the process quite a bit, so you don’t have to look through quite as
many files.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="" class="lazyLoad" height="489" src="http://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/image163.png" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="image" width="624" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At this point, you can right-click on any filename, and choose to
Recover it, and then save the files elsewhere on your drive. Awesome!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And the same is the process for recovering any file type from computer drives and USB drives. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.piriform.com/recuva">Download Recuva from piriform.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com0Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359262222011962317.post-57647368011232744552012-03-10T14:38:00.000+05:302012-03-25T12:48:24.494+05:30Harry Potter : A Global Phenomenon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>"I wouldn't be
surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the</b></i> <b><i>future -
there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world</i></b> <b><i>will
know his name."</i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Professor McGonagall, in the first chapter titled "The Boy Who Lived" </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">By
now there's not much that can
be said about the Harry Potter phenomenon that hasn't been said
already. Worshiped by kids, enjoyed by adults, this modern myth has
become an accepted
classic worldwide. Pull any copy of the series off a shelf anywhere in
the world
and you're holding magic. This magical phenomenon has left us all awe'd and stunned.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> </span></i></b></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsTxoEADanyP8DcLBwEf4pI4AbaLZAMZGM7-W6TrWVkpae_k5IKzqPUx6U6LOW_0WFZtazthwpYjRfR-IJK8c9Mc5eoN2wVjda09wvDXf2vKfmpEZWVVvtht0bc0OE8ntR6cwipuMNaQ/s1600/Harry_Potter_Aggi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsTxoEADanyP8DcLBwEf4pI4AbaLZAMZGM7-W6TrWVkpae_k5IKzqPUx6U6LOW_0WFZtazthwpYjRfR-IJK8c9Mc5eoN2wVjda09wvDXf2vKfmpEZWVVvtht0bc0OE8ntR6cwipuMNaQ/s400/Harry_Potter_Aggi.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Foray Into The Magical World Of Harry Potter : The Philosopher Stone </b></span><br />
<br />
With this introductory novel was published in 1997, few would have
predicted the unprecedented success this series would produce. And
everything that made Harry Potter so successful is all first shown,
though hardly fully explained, in this book, HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE.<br />
<br />
The novel opens with Harry living under the
cupboard with his abusive aunt and uncle. He has had a mean, depressed
life, and though an active boy, the sheer amount of trauma he must have
endured would scar any child. But the door opens out of this lifestyle.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
He gets a
letter (actually, hundreds) saying he is in fact a wizard. So he is
enrolled the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Him, along
with his new friend the giant Hagrid, go to Diagon Alley, a magical
bazaar, and thus he is thrust into the magical universe so captured the
imagination of millions. We soon learn Harry is world famous among
wizards for conquering an evil Wizard named Vo - um - He Who Must Not Be
Named. Sorry `bout that slip. =). Along the way, we learn that
Voldemort is after a magical artifiact called the Philosopher's Stone
(which was, unfortunately, changed from the UK original title to
"Sorcerer's Stone" in all other regions). So much of the novel is
driven by the three main characters defending this stone from Voldemort.<br />
<br />
In
this novel we get the first ever glimpses of Hogwarts, Voldemort,
Quidditch, Dumbledore, Severus Snape, muggles, the Forbidden Forest, the
Invisibility Cloak, and any other number of thins Rowling's magical
confectionary of an imagination has cooked up for us.<br />
<br />
One of the
best things about this book, and indeed about the whole series, is how
Rowling plants details which, when reading, you may not necessarily pick
up on, but are later rather important in later volumes. Who would
think Griphook and Hagrid's admonition no one breaks into Gringotts
would have such prominence in Book 7? Or the importance of Harry being
able to talk to the boa constrictor, something which is not referenced
again until Book 2 and then not fully explained until Book 7? Or the
Invisibility Cloak, a device first introduced in this novel, but you
have no idea of its importance, or even that it has real significance,
until Book 7.<br />
<br />
Another great example of this planting of clues is
Neville Longbottom, who, but by fate, could easily have been the main
star of the series, though you don't find out that information until
much later in Book 5.<br />
<br />
The book also introduces the relationship
dynamics that would continue throughout the entire series, from the
interplay between the three main kids (Harry, Ron, and Hermione), to the
ambiguous Severus Snape, the wise mentor figure of Albus Dumbledore,
bumbling Hagrid with his love of nasty creatures, prim and reserved
Professor McGonagall, evil incarnate Voldemort, Draco Malfoy, etc.<br />
<br />
Overall,
there are numerous memorable scenes in this novel. As the novels
progressed, the children aged and the target audience would have aged as
well. In this novel, they are still very young and immature, but
already at this early point in their career, there are seeds of
greatness for Harry, Ron, and Hermione.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Solid Second One As Good As First : The Chamber Of Secrets </b></span><br />
<br />
Rowling wastes no time further developing the world she introduced first
in PHILOSOPHER'S STONE. While the first book got us acclimated to her
magical world, it is here, in the CHAMBER OF SECRETS, she really begins
expanding the vocabulary of that universe.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.harrypotterfanzone.com/wp-content/2009/06/cos-us-jacket-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.harrypotterfanzone.com/wp-content/2009/06/cos-us-jacket-art.jpg" width="263" /></a>Apparently, Potter, at
this early stage in the story, is already in grave danger. He has a
house elf named Dobby appear to him in his uncle's house, warning him he
must not go back to Hogwarts. Dobby even gets Harry in trouble with
the Ministry For Magic (thus reads the unaltered UK edition, rather than
the Americanized "Ministry of Magic"). When Harry and Ron try to get
onto Platform 9 and ¾ they find the way blocked, an so have to
(illegally) take a flying car Arthur Weasley, Ron's father, had
enchanted. Once they land, Severus Snape reads them the riot act, for
they have been spotted by muggles. And that's just the opening section.
Danger doesn't stop there.<br />
<br />
Murders and attacks begin to occur
within the school, and whispers of a dark area known as the Chamber of
Secrets somewhere in the castle, where the Heir of Slytherin has bred a
monster, is beginning to circulate. Apparently this Chamber has been
opened before, and the last time it was opened, someone was murdered.<br />
<br />
It
is here, in the second novel, we are first introduced to Potter's
ability to speak Parseltongue, though we were told of this ability in
the first book. Here this ability takes ominous overtones, for it is
thought the Heir of Slytherin, the one who can open the Chamber of
Secrets and command Slytherin's monster, would also be able to speak
parseltongue, and so Potter must endure persecution on that front as
well.<br />
<br />
A funny character in this one is Gildery Lockhart, that
fraud of a teacher who is world famous and takes credit for work that is
no this.. His fate is well deserved.<br />
<br />
Eventually, Harry finds
his way into the Chamber of Secrets, and through the aid of Fawkes the
Phoneix, fights off the magical beast of Slytherin and learns more about
Tom Riddle, the boy who would become Voldemort.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, All
of these mysteries are unraveled, and Potter and the gang are safe
again. However, in typical Rowling fashion, there are some central
facts regarding the storyline that would not emerge until much later in
the series. It is not until Book 6 we learn the importance of Tom
Riddle's diary, and that it in fact a Horcrux.<br />
<br />
Rowling introduces
some new features and characters in her universe. It is here in
CHAMBER OF SECRETS we first really get to meet Ginny Weasely (though she
appears briefly in Book 1), who at this early stage has a crush on
Harry though Harry does not return this crush. We are shown the
Whomping Willow, Aragog the giant spider, and are given more backstory
on Hagrid. We are shown Polyjuice Potion, and learn about Moaning
Myrtle, the ghost in the third floor lavatory. We see that Hogwarts is
not as safe as you may suppose (though the school was never THAT safe to
begin with). Probably one of the most important additions to Rowling's
cast of characters is Dobby, the house elf who would became a major
character throughout the remainder of the series.<br />
<br />
CHAMBER OF
SECRETS shows, more than anything, that the success of PHILOSPHER'S
STONE was not a fluke accident, and it is with this novel we get the
first real rumblings of the Pottermania that was about to take over the
globe. This book is easily as readable as the first, and most readers
will fly through this novel.<br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="vertical-align: middle;"> </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="vertical-align: middle;">One Of My Favorite Books : The Prisoner Of Azkaban</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="vertical-align: middle;"></span> For my money, though I like the first two Potter books, this is where
Rowling struck gold. I started reading the series well before GOBLET came out, and when I finished the three books
that at that time were out, I thought AZKABAN was not only easily the
best of three, but one of the best books I had read in a long time. The
storyline is easily the strongest of the first three installments, and
for once Voldemort is not the main villain driving the plot, but, so it
is thought, a renegade supporter of his who murdered 13 people with a
single curse.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.harrypotterfanzone.com/wp-content/2009/06/poa-uk-kids-jacket-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.harrypotterfanzone.com/wp-content/2009/06/poa-uk-kids-jacket-art.jpg" width="245" /></a>In AZKABAN, we learn an escaped criminal from the
wizard prison Azkaban by the name of Sirius Black is out on the lam
looking for Potter. Black was once a vehement supporter for Voldemort,
and now Black is gunning to finish off the job by murdering Potter, a
task he had tried to do several years ago. Not only that, Potter learns
during the course of the plot that Black was James' best friend, along
with the new defense against the dark arts teacher, Remus Lupin. We get
to learn who Scabbers really is (another instant of an character
mentioned in passing on the first two novels who is hugely important
here). Black is Potter's godfather, and yet he betrayed the Potters!<br />
<br />
What
makes Azkaban so interesting is you really get to learn about the
relationships between James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Peter
Pettigrew, and Severus Snape. These five characters, and their
relationships with one another, are huge portions of the foundation on
which Rowling built her series. You need a clear understanding of these
characters to fully experience Rowling's series, and it is thru these
characters that this book, and the series itself, is as rich as it is.
The fact no one knew that the three characters were unregistered
animagus to help Remus cope with his condition was pretty cool.<br />
<br />
For
once, Rowling introduces a new magical artifact called the Marauder's
Map, which she uncharacteristically fully explains by the end of the
novel. It was made by Padfoot, Moony, Wormtail, and Prongs, which are
the nicknames of James and his crew. The map shows you the location of
every one on the Hogwarts grounds, a tremendously useful item, supplied,
appropriately enough, by those masters of mischief, Fred and George.<br />
<br />
Another
great new bit of magic in the book is the Patronus, a magical spell
that will help fight back the dementors and fear, a very advanced piece
of magic for third years. It is also very touching to know why Harry's
patronus is a stag, as that is what his father transformed into.<br />
<br />
There
are also other memorable scenes and events. You get Hermione and the
Time Turners, Buckbeak the Hippogriff, Professor Trelawney, the
Dementors, the Maurader's Map, etc. The climax of the novel is great,
but for me, it's that time when Remus, Sirus, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and
Snape are all in that Shreiking Shack, and you finally get to learn a
lot of key information about Harry's past.<br />
<br />
Ironically enough,
though I have long held the opinion this is the best Potter book of them
all (not including Book 7), this book has the worst movie adaptation,
BECAUSE they don't fully establish all the different relationships
between the four, or even explain the Marauder's Map.<br />
<br />
For myself,
this is easily my favorite of the Potter novels, or was until DEATHLY
HALLOWS came out. Still, I have had a great history with this book, and
probably reread this more than all the other Potter books. This is the
second best Potter book.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>I Love Magic : The Goblet Of Fire</b></span><br />
<br />
Harry wakes one night with a searing pain in the scar on his forehead;
his dream, about the supposedly abandoned Riddle Family's House, rattles
him and he quickly writes a letter to Sirius. The next morning, the
Weasleys write an embarrassing letter to Harry's Uncle Vernon asking
permission to take Harry to the Quidditch World Cup and stay with them
for the rest of summer. Uncle Vernon agrees and Harry Potter and the
Goblet of Fire takes off and never slows down!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.harrypotterfanzone.com/wp-content/2009/06/gof-us-jacket-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.harrypotterfanzone.com/wp-content/2009/06/gof-us-jacket-art.jpg" width="263" /></a>The next morning,
the family, Harry, and Hermione leave for the World Cup via portkey: an
old, discarded shoe. At the World Cup, Mr. Crouch shows up, makes a bet
with the Weasley twins about which team is going to win, and then drops
the hint that something amazing is going to happen this year at
Hogwarts. After giving this hint some thought, Harry, Ron, and Hermione
go but souvenirs and start heading to their seats before the game
starts, on their way up, they meet Mr. Crouch's house elf, Winky. Once
the game ends and all the witches and wizards head back to the tent for
the night, mayhem breaks loose and Death Eaters (Voldemort's followers)
begin terrorizing Muggles. In the commotion, Harry drops his wand and, a
short time later, someone shoots the Dark Mark into the sky.<br />
<br />
Once
Harry, Ron, and Hermione return to Hogwarts, Dumbledore announces that
the Triwizard Tournament will be hosted a Hogwarts; the Goblet of Fire
will choose three students who will participate in the dangerous
competition. He then introduces the new Defense Against the Dark Arts
professor: Mad-Eye Moody. In October, representatives arrive from
Beauxbatons and Durmstrang arrive to participate and watch the Triwizard
Tournament. On Halloween, the Goblet releases the three chosen students
from the three schools: Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour, and Viktor
Krum. The goblet then spits out a fourth name: Harry Potter. As Harry
works his way through the tournament, he must face deadly monsters as
well as endure endless amounts of insults from the entire school.<br />
<br />
This
action-packed book ranks my second favorite in the entire series. J.K.
Rowling never writes a dull moment and continues to baffle readers as
they try and discover just who Mad-Eye Moody really is, what happened to
Peter Pettigrew and where is Voldemort now? Don't let the size of this
book scare you because you'll fly through the pages at record speed just
to find out what's going to happen next! </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Easily The Most Complex But Most Satisfying Of All The Potter Novels : The Order Of The Phoenix</b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
ORDER OF THE PHOENIX could well be my favorite book of them all, if
Azkaban and Deathly Hallows weren't as good as they were. For all the
talk about GOBLET being the one where Rowling really hikes up the
intensity and the complexity in the series, it is here, in PHOENIX, she
gives us Potter's darkest, and most complex, adventure of all.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://hyder-harry-potter.hostselect.net/pictures/order_of_the_phoenix_kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://hyder-harry-potter.hostselect.net/pictures/order_of_the_phoenix_kids.jpg" width="258" /></a>The
second most complex novel in the entire Potter sequence (the first
being Book 7), this book is probably the second best one, though I still
like Azkaban better. This novel introduces the Order of the Phoenix, a
whole litany of new characters and a more in depth look at the Ministry
For Magic.<br />
<br />
Potter has been having bad dreams about a locked door.
So he must find out what to do about that. While at home with the
Dursleys, he and Dudley are attacked by dementors, and so he stands
trial before the Ministry for the inappropriate use of underage magic.
He ultimately must appear before the Ministry, and it is only by
Dumbledore's appearance he is saved.<br />
<br />
But the Ministry is not
finished yet. Still under staunch denial that Voldemort is back,
Cornelius Fudge sends a new teacher, Dolores Umbridge, to bring Hogwarts
under the Ministry's control. Much of the storyline revolves around
Umbridge as she takes over Hogwarts, eventually ousting Dumbledore, who
goes on the run. Her end is very well justified.<br />
<br />
I remember when
I read the book back when it initially came out being rather
disappointed. I wasn't a big fan of GOBLET, and I couldn't way to spend
more time in Harry's universe, being back at Hogwarts with characters I
know and love. But when I read PHOENIX, though, I felt even more lost
and rather alienated. Hogwarts was being taken over. Hagrid was
missing for half the book. Dumbledore is extremely distant (for reasons
explained at the end of the novel). The Ministry is taken over, and
it's run by a man who doesn't know what the hell is going on. There was
a lot going on in this novel, and it was all rather depressing. Harry
became angry and had severe mood swings, and was always snapping at the
people around him. On the positive note he did get some romance,but
ultimately even that frizzled out. Harry even had to take "Defense
Against the Dark Arts" underground, as Umbridge refuses to even
acknowledge Voldemort at all, as per Ministry order.<br />
<br />
When I
reread it in 2007 in prepration for DEATHLY HALLOWS, my stocks in this
book absolutely soared. This is a dark, dark book, and while I still
felt rather alienated and cut off from Rowling's magical world and the
Ministry Interference, this time around I realised how masterfully
crafted this novel truly is.<br />
<br />
ORDER, as far as I'm concerned, is
where Rowling truly stopped writing children's fiction, but crafting a
dark, bitter book about dark, bitter times in her character's lives. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Umbridge
is easily one of her best characters she ever wrote, and one of the
most despicable characters in all of fiction. It is people like
Umbridge that brought Hitler to power in the early 1930s, and who would
enable him to commit the many atrocities that he did during WWII (and I
thought that for a long time before HALLOWS came out, in which Umbridge
has turned into a type of Nazi who fully subscribes to Voldemort's
racial genocide).<br />
<br />
It is here, with ORDER, in which Rowling shows
us the evil of bureaucracy, of how Voldemort isn't the only person in
which massive evil lurks.<br />
<br />
I also love how Rowling greatly expands
her environment from the previous novels. We see for the first time
St. Mungo's (and have a rather morose encounter with Gilderoy Lockheart
from Book 2). We get to go inside the Ministry For Magic, and a very
impressive place it is. Grimmauld Place, along with Sirius, is also
very entertaining.<br />
<br />
And we get some great new characters.
Thestrals. The beautifully bizaare Luna Lovegood. Gwarp. Kingsley
Shacklebolt. And a personal favorite, Nymphadora Tonks.<br />
<br />
The
series also has one of my favorite scenes in all of literature: when
Dumbledore brings Firenze on during the rainstorm as the new divination
teacher (a scene I was so disappointed they cut on the movie. The seeds
were they but they cut it damn it.).<br />
<br />
The climax of the book is
great, with Dumbledore's Army truly coming into their own as they fight
against the Death Eaters, who are trying to take the Prophecy from the
Hall of Prophecy in the Ministry For Magic. I love that whole end
sequence. And the death Rowling includes is just brutal, not really how
she kills off the character but the fact she killed him off at all.
Interestingly enough, Arthur Weasley, who survives an attack in this
novel, was originally slated to die, but Rowling could not bear to kill
him off. He was also supposed to die in Book 7, but she couldn't kill
him then either, and he was the only real normal father figure in the
series, and a good father at that.<br />
<br />
And naturally, we get to learn
some vastly important information about Neville Longbottom. Following
the trend of other installments in the series in regards to introducing
apparently non-essential characters and information,, he turns out to
much more important than you would suppose. We also begin to learn
Dumbledore isn't as flawless as you would like to think.<br />
<br />
Another
thing I really like about the book is you really do feel like the stakes
are really high, which you should as we're only two books away from the
end. In fact, HALF-BLOOD PRINCE seemed almost a step back in terms of
complexity and highs takes atmosphere from this one.<br />
<br />
One thing
that should be noted is this is a real doorstop of a book. At a quarter
of a million worlds (half as long as Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS), this
is easily one of the longest children's books ever published. Rowling
has even said she wish she could go back and edit this book down, as she
feels it is too long. But what would she cut? Great stuff, but very
long for kids. Speaks to the amazing appeal these books have that
children have read something as long as this.<br />
<br />
Overall, one of my
favorite Potter books. I think it's even better than AZKABAN on a
literary level, but I still prefer Azkaban to this as a personal
preference. Still, this is one of Potter's best. Don't go in thinking
you'll have as much fun at Hogwarts. These are dark times, and the war
really is beginning.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Darker Than The Last But Not Upto The Level : The Half Blood Prince</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Half-Blood Prince is easily one of the better books in the Harry Potter
series, though each is a masterpiece. But the 6th installment of a
7-part series is bound to be full of great moments in the story. There
remains a great deal unanswered in this book, however, and the 7th will
surely need to be no smaller than an average encyclopedia. Somehow as I
was reading this book, I felt that I was learning more and at a quicker
rate than in Order of the Phoenix, but so many of Harry's problems and
questions took so long to reach any sort of answer or resolution that I
still ended up not knowing many of the secrets I expected to be revealed
in this book. It must be that Rowling, in her grand scheme, is saving
much for the last book. One thing seems to be for certain, though, and
that is that Rowling will never lose that special touch, that supreme
and genuine interest in the story and its characters that makes the
writing so engrossing. After completing this book, I was in a state of
total shock and to this moment I wish only to read the seventh book.<br />
<a href="http://www.harrypotterspage.com/images/graphics/book6/hbpcoverus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.harrypotterspage.com/images/graphics/book6/hbpcoverus.jpg" width="265" /></a><br />
Half-Blood
Prince is dark; I mean far darker than the last. This is the time I
have always known was inevitable in the Harry Potter world, at last we
are seeing chaos and war and battles break out within the walls of
Hogwarts itself. Several of the chapters are particularly well-written,
with great suspense and imagery; an example would be the time Harry and
Dumbledore spent in the cave. Relationships blossom in this book at
last, including Harry suddenly falling in `love' with Ginny Weasley, Ron
dating Lavender Brown, Pansy and Draco clearly going out, and some
serious hinting at a possible romance between Ron and Hermione when he
gets rid of Lavender. Some of the focus on their teenage jealousies and
squabbles, and their new found interest in dating and `snogging,' was a
cute touch, but admittedly not what I was exactly looking for. After
all, it was more fluff than anything else, and certainly none of it was
real love. Then, the useless couple of Tonks and Lupin was introduced in
the end; all well and good, I suppose, but again not something that
overjoyed me. The end of the book is very sad indeed, yet, I was not
crying--I was merely shocked, flabbergasted at the circumstances. A
Snapeless, Dumbledoreless Hogwarts that Harry Potter is not intending to
return to next year? Yes, you heard right. Harry wants to go off and
find all of Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes and face the final battle on
his own.<br />
<br />
Much of the book is devoted to Harry witnessing
important memories in the Pensieve with Dumbledore so that he can gain a
greater understanding of his enemy, the Dark Lord. Now, am not a big fan of Severus Snape. And what we do now know is
shocking. To begin with, we learn the names of his parents, muggle
Tobias Snape and witch Eileen Prince (yes, Snape is the Half-Blood
Prince.) It is also known that Snape overheard the prophecy regarding
Harry & Voldemort and told the Dark Lord about it; however,
supposedly he showed enough remorse after Voldemort used the information
to kill Harry's parents that Dumbledore forgave and entrusted him. I
was expecting a surprising reason for Dumbledore to trust Snape, not a
simple apology. There must still be more to this than meets the eye.<br />
<br />
Before
I explain my case about Snape, I'll mention some of the things that
remain a mystery after this book. Snape's patronus and greatest fear don't
come up (in fact, while Tonks' patronus is revealed, Boggarts don't
receive any mention.) Some interesting information is supposedly going
to be divulged regarding both Lily and Petunia, but neither of them
played much of a role in book 6.<br />
<br />
Now, before reading this book, if I
had to make a list of impossible things that could never happen...Snape
killing the Headmaster and fleeing the school with a bunch of Death
Eaters, would have been right at the top of the list. But, I'd have been
wrong. I had a very strong feeling that Dumbledore would be the one to
die in this book. But I never saw the way it happened coming. In the
beginning of the story, Snape came in rather quickly. Once Harry was at
school, Snape finally got the Defense Against the Dark Arts post he'd
longed for. I was cheering. (Yes, he is no longer Potions Master.) But
it turned out not to matter. In the second chapter, Narcissa Malfoy and
her sister, Bellatrix Lestrange, visit the home of Snape and he makes with
Narcissa (possibly out of love) an Unbreakable Vow--that Snape will
help her son Draco carry out a task ordered of him by Voldemort, and
will complete it himself should Draco prove unable. The task, it seems
in the end, was to kill Dumbledore. Draco does prove unable, and Snape
carries it out. Yet, it cannot be this simple. Dumbledore may have been
aware of the task, and the Vow. From the moment Dumbledore returns from
the cave, weakened, having drunk an unknown potion set by Voldemort to
guard a Horcrux, he says he needs Severus. He never says what for, never
asks to be healed. When Snape arrives Dumbledore calls his name and
says 'please' (pleading for his life, as everyone assumes, or something
else?) before Snape aims the curse at him that kills him.<br />
<br />
This
seems twisted, monstrous, unforgivable, no? Exactly: No. Not in my
opinion, at least. I do not think it was Snape's choice to kill
Dumbledore, but that the Headmaster had at least one reason for telling
him that he must do this horrible deed. Of course from Harry's
perspective (Harry, who has inherited, as Lupin says, a prejudice
against Snape) it was cold-blooded murder and betrayal and he now wants to
destroy Snape as much as Voldemort. But this too is far too simple;
clearly, as the book ends on this note, there are things Harry does not
understand about what has happened.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
He has forgotten, for instance,
about the argument overheard by Hagrid, between Snape and Dumbledore.
This point never was addressed again, yet amidst all the turmoil, who
can blame it for being overlooked? Consider it. Dumbledore telling Snape
he must do something that Snape does not wish to do. For several
reasons I can think of (mainly involving the Death Eaters and the
Malfoys), this argument connects directly to the death of Albus. And
what of the mysterious order given Snape at the end of "Goblet of Fire,"
at which he turned pale? Clearly he is being asked to do things most
difficult, to make great sacrifices; how can the most enigmatic person
turn out to be clear-cut evil?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Read carefully and you'll see that
Snape has hatred and revulsion etched into his face when he performs the
fatal Avada Kedavra. I see these emotions not as directed at his
target, which Harry naturally assumes, but stemming from the act he is
about to commit. It never really occurs to Harry that Sev may have been
feeling the same things he'd been feeling when he was bound by his
promise to force-feed the convulsing Dumbledore, does it? Probably far
worse.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Snape acts rather outrageously for the remainder of his time
in the story, not shockingly, yet he refuses to allow any harm to come
to Harry (clearly Dumbledore would've wanted that). He seems to be in
pain and becomes furious at the mere suggestion that he is a
coward--because he has just done the most difficult and least cowardly
thing ever asked of him. Dumbledore has repeatedly stated that Harry's
life is more important than his own, and that Harry understands less
than he. And the facts remain that he has in the past done much good
despite his suspicious nature, & that not everything he told
Bellatrix about staying loyal to Voldemort can be true. My final point
has to do with the words Dumbledore cried while drinking the potion in
the cave. I don't know why, but I feel these words are important, and
that after the escapade Dumbledore may have known the end was near.<br />
</div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>A Stunning And Thoroughly Satisfying Conclusion : The Deathly Hallows</b></span><br />
<br />
This is arguably the most "hyped" book in history, and if J.K. Rowling
had to sneak down to the kitchen for a glass of red wine to calm her
nerves while writing The Goblet of Fire (as she said she did), one
wonders what assuaged her while writing Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows. The collective breath of tens of millions of readers has been
held for two years...and now...was it worth the wait? Did Ms. Rowling
live up to the hype? (For that, amongst hundreds of questions, is really
the only question that matters.)<br />
<br />
The answer, most assuredly, is YES.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows.jpg" width="263" /></a>Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows is told in a strikingly different style
than the previous six books - even different from The Half Blood Prince,
and, I daresay, it's a better written, better edited, tighter
narrative. And while the action is lively and well paced throughout,
Rowling found a way to answer most of our questions while introducing
new and complex ideas. What fascinated me was this: Some people were
right, with regard to who is good, who is bad, who will live, who will
die - but almost nobody got the "why" part correct. I truthfully
expected an exciting but rather predictable ending, but instead was
thrown for a loop. We've known that Rowling is fiendishly clever for
years - but I didn't think she was *this* clever.<br />
<br />
Not since
turning the final page of The Return of the King have I felt such a keen sense of loss. My love affair (indeed,
everyone's love affair, I imagine) with all things Harry began somewhere
in the first three chapters of The Sorcerer's Stone, and has lasted, on
this side of the Atlantic, three months shy of nine years. For all that
time we have waited and wondered - was Dumbledore right to trust Snape?
Will Ron and Hermione get together? What's to become of Ginny and
Harry? What really happened on that tower, when Dumbledore was blasted
backwards, that "blast" atypical of the Avada Kedavra curse as we've
seen it when used throughout the series. So many more questions than
those listed here, and so many devilishly well-hidden hints. The
answers, as I hinted above, will shock and awe you.<br />
<br />
When first we
met Harry Potter, he was "The Boy Who Lived", with an address of "The
Cupboard Under the Stairs". Who could help but bleed sympathy for Harry,
treated abysmally - abused, really - by the only blood relatives he
had, and forced to live under said stairs by those awful Muggles, the
Dursleys? It was a sensationally brilliant introduction, one that
ensured that our heartstrings would be plucked and enchanted to sing. He
was The Boy Who Lived.<br />
<br />
Since reading that first book, we have
enjoyed Rowling's spry sense of humor - portraits that spoke, stairways
that moved at any given moment, Hagrid jinxing Dudley so that a pigs
tail grew from his behind, Fred and George's fantastic creations, etc,
etc., etc., and more etc's. There was a sense of wonder and magic in
Rowling's writing, so thoroughly captivating that the recommended age
group of 9-12 in no way resembled the book's actual audience. It was
common to see adults walking about with hardcover copies of the latest
book, sans dust jacket (to hide the fact that they were reading a "kids"
book, I suppose). It was also common to hear of eight year olds sitting
down with a seven-hundred-plus page book! By themselves! If I hadn't
seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it.<br />
<br />
As for
Harry, we admired him. He wasn't afraid to stand up for what he felt was
right, even if he found himself in detention for it. He was brutally
honest, and immensely courageous and loyal. Harry came to embody, at
times, who we would like to be. He wasn't perfect, of course. He
suspected Snape of being the one who was after the Sorcerer's Stone, and
in The Chamber of Secrets, he thought that Malfoy was the heir of
Slytherin. This didn't diminish Harry in our eyes - it made him more
human, more real, and even, perhaps, more enviable.<br />
<br />
Endless fan
sites have been erected. For an adult to go to any of them, and find
that thirteen year olds are having an easier time parsing out the books
plots, subplots, and mysteries, was (for me at least) humbling, but yet
also a testament to Rowling herself, and her remarkable creation. She
encouraged an entire generation of young readers to read and to think
for themselves.<br />
<br />
But the time has come to say good-bye, for this is truly the end.<br />
<br />
So
good-bye, Harry. Good-bye Hermione, Ron, Professor Dumbledore,
*Professor* Snape, Professor McGonagall, Professor Hagrid, Ginny, Fred,
George, Neville, Dobby (and all the house elves), even Lord Voldemort
and his Death Eaters. We will miss all of you, every character we
encountered, from Muggle to Mudblood to hippogriff and owl, and
everything about the world you all so vibrantly inhabit. And to Ms.
Rowling: know that you have brought immeasurable joy to millions and
millions of Muggles worldwide, and know that we cannot possibly thank
you enough. What a tremendous gift you were given. Thank you for sharing
it with us.</div>
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</div>Gopinath Sekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11118765585610595025noreply@blogger.com2Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India13.060422 80.24958312.936679000000002 80.0916545 13.184165 80.4075115