The Hobbit
J.R.R Tolkein
1937
The Hobbit, when I first thought about reading the hobbit I was a bit intimidated to be honest. I felt that the writing style was going to be like Lord of the Rings, a bit complex and EXTREMELY detailed. However I come to find that the hobbit was actually pretty easy to read and was not at all as complexed as I imagine it would be.
The story focuses on Bilbo Baggins, not Frodo like I was expecting, as he travels with Gandalf, which I was extremely happy to find about, (cause lets face it, Gandalf is like the most badass wizard to ever live.) and others to basically steal treasure. Which I find quite hilarious, considering that Lord of the Rings was all about returning. Bilbo is at first reluctant to go but sooner or later he his of course talked into going and precedes to go on his heros journey.
I never really read Lord of the Rings and I only watched the movies like twice. So I personally didn't know much about the world they were stepping into. Reading is something is different from seeing something. The world kinda reminded me of Harry Potters world, with elves, giant spiders, and just this world that you could only dream of. I like how this story explained how the ring fell into Biblo's procession, which I did wonder about in watching Lord of the Rings.. My favorite parts of the story was of course Gandalf coming in the save the day all the time. But I also really enjoyed the part when Biblo has to solve a course of riddle games in order to make it out the cave. I always love when characters have to think mentally and their thought process of how to escape their situation. It show grow and development of the protagonist and shows that muscles is not always the key.
Overall I think that I really injoyed the book and that I am kinda glad that I read this before picking up Lord of the Rings. I feel that I know and is comfortable with the world that J.R.R Tolkein has put his characters in. And that I won't look like a complete idiot whenever they reference from the Hobbit.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Frankinstein
Frankenstein
Mary Shelley
1818
Frankenstein, I wanted to revisit Frankenstein for the whole semester. I was originally assigned back in 8th grade for summer read, but having the attention span of a fly I couldn't really glad ahold of what I was reading back then nor could I get pass the 2nd chapter. Now that I have had a chance to reread it I found that it is nothing like I remembered it to be and is completely opposite to what I imagined it to be. Coming in I had this precption that the monster (Frankenstein) would sorta be the villain but it lean towards more of Victor Frankenstein being the monster. But after reading this I feel that both were sort of the villain in there own right. I mean that I feel that neither can really justify their actions through out the entire story.
Yes, Victor was wrong and a monster himself for creating something that has no right in defying the natural balance and order of life. Once we die, we die, thats it. Victor disturbed that due to obsession and arrogance into thinking he could control it. Which was quite funny seeing him run away in terror after awaking to the monster towering over him. But still due to the error of his ways he ends up losing everyone he cares dear about. By the end of the story Victor is a broken hallow of a man fueled only by revenge and is left to die angry and unsatisfied. However I would like to note that I do commend Victor on not repeating his same mistakes twice. I like that he did learn from his mistakes, even though it might have been through shear fear, and did not create a bride for his monster.
However, when I hear about the monster (Frankenstein), I hear that he is the victim and that he doesn't do anything hardly wrong. Which in my opinion is complete BS. When I was little people called (Frankenstein) a monster because of his looks and background. No, (Frankenstein) is a monster because he has actually killed people, innocent people that had really no involvement with Victor and his experiments. Even through I see way (Frankenstein) is angry at his creator for what he has done to him. What gives this being the right to kill innocents that just happen to me tied to Victor in some from or fashion. He even infected damage on people without even realizing it with Justine Mortiz, whom died for his crimes.
In my opinion both are kinda monsters in there own way Victor for disturbeding the natural order of life and death. And (Frankenstein) for being aware of his actions and stilling killing people to meet his own needs and desires.
Mary Shelley
1818
Frankenstein, I wanted to revisit Frankenstein for the whole semester. I was originally assigned back in 8th grade for summer read, but having the attention span of a fly I couldn't really glad ahold of what I was reading back then nor could I get pass the 2nd chapter. Now that I have had a chance to reread it I found that it is nothing like I remembered it to be and is completely opposite to what I imagined it to be. Coming in I had this precption that the monster (Frankenstein) would sorta be the villain but it lean towards more of Victor Frankenstein being the monster. But after reading this I feel that both were sort of the villain in there own right. I mean that I feel that neither can really justify their actions through out the entire story.
Yes, Victor was wrong and a monster himself for creating something that has no right in defying the natural balance and order of life. Once we die, we die, thats it. Victor disturbed that due to obsession and arrogance into thinking he could control it. Which was quite funny seeing him run away in terror after awaking to the monster towering over him. But still due to the error of his ways he ends up losing everyone he cares dear about. By the end of the story Victor is a broken hallow of a man fueled only by revenge and is left to die angry and unsatisfied. However I would like to note that I do commend Victor on not repeating his same mistakes twice. I like that he did learn from his mistakes, even though it might have been through shear fear, and did not create a bride for his monster.
However, when I hear about the monster (Frankenstein), I hear that he is the victim and that he doesn't do anything hardly wrong. Which in my opinion is complete BS. When I was little people called (Frankenstein) a monster because of his looks and background. No, (Frankenstein) is a monster because he has actually killed people, innocent people that had really no involvement with Victor and his experiments. Even through I see way (Frankenstein) is angry at his creator for what he has done to him. What gives this being the right to kill innocents that just happen to me tied to Victor in some from or fashion. He even infected damage on people without even realizing it with Justine Mortiz, whom died for his crimes.
In my opinion both are kinda monsters in there own way Victor for disturbeding the natural order of life and death. And (Frankenstein) for being aware of his actions and stilling killing people to meet his own needs and desires.
Empire Star
Empire Star
Neal Stephenson
1992
Hiro is a very interesting character; even his introduction into the story was quite entertaining. Working as Pizza Delivery boy for his Uncle Enzo's CosaNostra Pizza Company. Which I find quite funny and reliving, that old establishments, such as pizza delivery would still apply in the far the future. Hiros description of a character is that he is a hacker, an expert swordfighter, and a pizza delivery boy. . . This is like every nerd's dream role model. Hiro's character is funny, cocky, and never really boring, to me at least. And the same can go for the other characters in the book. I found myself wanting to come back to this book, cause I actually cared and was interested to see what would happen to these characters on their journey. The pace of this story was easy for me to keep up with so I didn't have to struggle as hard to read to. The environment and technology in the story were really cool. And although the story was very dark at times I still felt an attraction to this story this book that only made me keep reading more until there was nothing left. Now I am not saying that this story is a masterpiece or one of the greatest books that I have ever read. I am just saying that it is a book that I found very entertaining and kind of a stress reliever.
Neal Stephenson
1992
Snow Cash was one of the funniest stories I had a chance to read this semester. I really enjoyed the plot, characters, and overall setting of the story. The plot is very simple: Basically try to stop the spread of a drug/virus that has the potential to kill everyone it touches. Snow Cash is what the drug is call and it is unlike any drug that I have seen before. Not only is it real virus but it is also a computer virus too, which is both weird and unique at the same time. This virus has the ability to literally fry your brain and its up to our hero, literally named Hiro, to stop this from happening of course.
The Star My Destination
The Star My Destination
Alfred Bester
1956
I would like to state first of all that, out of all the stories I have read this semester so far The Star My Destination was the most frustrating thus far. The main character Gully Foyle was too frustrating of a character to get pass his first developing stages of the novel. Everything about him just screams pain in the ass. He is not very caring or outgoing. He doesn't really have any good lifelong goals. He is lazy, dumb, sluggish, unmotivated, and is just literally the biggest jackass I had ever read up to this point. The description of him is: "Too easy to for trouble, too slow for fun, too empty for friendship, too lazy for love." My first though when reading this was "Jesus, how could this be our hero?" I felt like I was reading the description of some of my friends back in high school.
Okay It's guest me being impatient with his character which I think I was. I figure that I read this novel at a bad time and just didn't have the patience nor the will power to keep up with it. After reading the introduction of our 'hero' and the situation that he is in. The story is set in the future and our 'hero is currently stranded out in a wrecked spaceship for about 170 days. Now a normal person would think, I gosh, he must be trying everything to escape that hellhole. Nope, the expression I got from it was this was that Gully was simple waiting for someone to just simply rescue him.
This suspicion did not help do to the fact that when the ship, the Vorga, was passing by him and he sent out a distress to the ship, which completely ignored him. This scene basically was start of our 'hero's' motivation to go on this journey and kill everyone that was apart of that ship. This situation gives him the real motivation for the first time in is life to live: Revenge.
At this point of the story I feel like it is too early to just walk away from. I mean I wasn't even two-thrids into the story. So I continued, After awhile, Gully eventually fixes the ship best to his abilities and floats off until he is picked up by a these human that lives in the planetary asteriod belt between Mars and Jupiter. Gully while there is given a wife. Wait, what? He is given a wife? This came out of the blue for me and this get seems very, very sexist. Not only is he given a wife but he doesn't really take care of her. Nor does he care about the live around him as he blasted off in the space yacht. At this point of the story just could not take anymore and had to put the book down. I feel that I need to one day finish reading this cause I felt like it caught me in the wrong mood to read it.
Alfred Bester
1956
I would like to state first of all that, out of all the stories I have read this semester so far The Star My Destination was the most frustrating thus far. The main character Gully Foyle was too frustrating of a character to get pass his first developing stages of the novel. Everything about him just screams pain in the ass. He is not very caring or outgoing. He doesn't really have any good lifelong goals. He is lazy, dumb, sluggish, unmotivated, and is just literally the biggest jackass I had ever read up to this point. The description of him is: "Too easy to for trouble, too slow for fun, too empty for friendship, too lazy for love." My first though when reading this was "Jesus, how could this be our hero?" I felt like I was reading the description of some of my friends back in high school.
Okay It's guest me being impatient with his character which I think I was. I figure that I read this novel at a bad time and just didn't have the patience nor the will power to keep up with it. After reading the introduction of our 'hero' and the situation that he is in. The story is set in the future and our 'hero is currently stranded out in a wrecked spaceship for about 170 days. Now a normal person would think, I gosh, he must be trying everything to escape that hellhole. Nope, the expression I got from it was this was that Gully was simple waiting for someone to just simply rescue him.
This suspicion did not help do to the fact that when the ship, the Vorga, was passing by him and he sent out a distress to the ship, which completely ignored him. This scene basically was start of our 'hero's' motivation to go on this journey and kill everyone that was apart of that ship. This situation gives him the real motivation for the first time in is life to live: Revenge.
At this point of the story I feel like it is too early to just walk away from. I mean I wasn't even two-thrids into the story. So I continued, After awhile, Gully eventually fixes the ship best to his abilities and floats off until he is picked up by a these human that lives in the planetary asteriod belt between Mars and Jupiter. Gully while there is given a wife. Wait, what? He is given a wife? This came out of the blue for me and this get seems very, very sexist. Not only is he given a wife but he doesn't really take care of her. Nor does he care about the live around him as he blasted off in the space yacht. At this point of the story just could not take anymore and had to put the book down. I feel that I need to one day finish reading this cause I felt like it caught me in the wrong mood to read it.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Harry Potter
Harry Potter
J.K Rowling
I am glad that I was able to revisit the Harry Potter universe this semester. Harry Potter is a mind blowing cultural phenomenon. Taking old legendary tells of the witch, wizards, and basically sorcery bring them to us in a relatable manner. The world of Harry Potter is written a way that you can literally feel like your there or more like you wish to be apart of that world, and in a way it has been. I see Harry Potter having a larger and more dedicated audience then any other fandom in the world, more than Star Wars and Star Trek. I see Harry Potter lasting for generations amongst our culture.
And I cant talk about one Harry Potter book without talking about them all. The simplicity of the series is what attracts me the most. What I mean by simplicity is that the overall plot of the story is very simple. Boy destroys evil before evil destroys boy. Its a very simple theme to follow.Plus their world is get insteresting. I would always find myself re-reading the ingredients to how a potion is made, or spelling being cast and how they effected the person casted upon. Also one of the neat things of the Harry Potter universe is that the characters are very relatable, especially to my generation. We might come from different world their problems are just like ours. Having reading of them going threw the years and make decisions big and small, especially the small ones, make me relate to them and draws me in even more.
There themes ever also very interesting. Even though Harry Potter started out as a children's book the themes in there could be considered very dark for some viewers. Even there overall theme of the story to me wasn't about power or even really killing Harry Potter. To me the overall theme and driving force behind the story was. . . racism. Its all about racism, racism started this whole thing way back before even Voldermort was born. This whole issue about whom's born is better and purer then whom's. Racism to me has always been ridiculous to me I mean I bleed the same red blood that you bleed, regardless of blood origin or skin tone. This theme alone has kept me into the Harry Potter universe for so long even threw a young age I wanted to see how J.K handled this situation, which I felt that she handled it with grace. However after reading threw her books I know that there is always going to be one that tries to bring that hate to the surface and it is up to us as human beings to not fall into that circle of hate.
J.K Rowling
I am glad that I was able to revisit the Harry Potter universe this semester. Harry Potter is a mind blowing cultural phenomenon. Taking old legendary tells of the witch, wizards, and basically sorcery bring them to us in a relatable manner. The world of Harry Potter is written a way that you can literally feel like your there or more like you wish to be apart of that world, and in a way it has been. I see Harry Potter having a larger and more dedicated audience then any other fandom in the world, more than Star Wars and Star Trek. I see Harry Potter lasting for generations amongst our culture.
And I cant talk about one Harry Potter book without talking about them all. The simplicity of the series is what attracts me the most. What I mean by simplicity is that the overall plot of the story is very simple. Boy destroys evil before evil destroys boy. Its a very simple theme to follow.Plus their world is get insteresting. I would always find myself re-reading the ingredients to how a potion is made, or spelling being cast and how they effected the person casted upon. Also one of the neat things of the Harry Potter universe is that the characters are very relatable, especially to my generation. We might come from different world their problems are just like ours. Having reading of them going threw the years and make decisions big and small, especially the small ones, make me relate to them and draws me in even more.
There themes ever also very interesting. Even though Harry Potter started out as a children's book the themes in there could be considered very dark for some viewers. Even there overall theme of the story to me wasn't about power or even really killing Harry Potter. To me the overall theme and driving force behind the story was. . . racism. Its all about racism, racism started this whole thing way back before even Voldermort was born. This whole issue about whom's born is better and purer then whom's. Racism to me has always been ridiculous to me I mean I bleed the same red blood that you bleed, regardless of blood origin or skin tone. This theme alone has kept me into the Harry Potter universe for so long even threw a young age I wanted to see how J.K handled this situation, which I felt that she handled it with grace. However after reading threw her books I know that there is always going to be one that tries to bring that hate to the surface and it is up to us as human beings to not fall into that circle of hate.
Anansi Boys
Anansi Boys
Neil Gaimen
2005
I would like to first start off by saying that before I picked up and read Anansi Boys that I already had pre-knowledge about Anansi and his background. As a child my mother used to read to me the Anansi stories retold by Eric. A Kimmel and illustrated by Janet Stevens. I was well aware that Anansi was a very LARGE African spider god, known for his mischief and manipulation of animals around him. However I was not expecting what got when reading the first couple of chapters of Anansi Boys.
It starts out with our main character "Fat" Charlie Nancy. I was not surprised about the nickname for Charlie figured that Anansi was known for being quite the the glutton so I was not surprised about any of his children developing the "thickness". At the start of the story Charlie is in London preparing for is wedding when he is interrupted because his father has suddenly passed and heads to florida to take care and settle things. At this point I am a little confused. I figured that the main characters are human and are living normal human lives but I was surprised from this beginning for a number of reasons. One why are we not in Africa? I mean Anansi is a African god. I was quit surprised at the settling of the story is in London and not Africa and Mr. Nancy, who I assume is Anansi, is in Florida. I am also quite surprise to find out that Charlie actually knows is father. Typically I see the tale in which a boy grows up and then one day they find out who their real father is and go on this epic long quest. To follow in their footsteps to save the world or fulfill their destiny. You know, the same story that has been told a million times before. So the fact that he knew is father right off the bat was a bit of a revealer in hopes that they don't follow the formula.
I was interest to find out that although Charlie knows his father he doesn't know the whole truth about him of corse. His father was actually a reincarnation of Anansi and that although he does not have any powers his brother, Spider, whom he didn't know he had, does. Basically they end up becoming rivals while fighter another rival and surprisingly there is hardly any involvement with Anansi. Which is good in its own way. I mean he was there at times but the story focused more on the journey of Anansi's boys Charlie and Spider. The themes were good. The characters were excellent, expect Coats, who I found quite annoying threw the story. And I felt overall that Neil Gaiman did an execute job in telling a tale of what Anansi and his demigod children would be like in the 21st century.
Neil Gaimen
2005
I would like to first start off by saying that before I picked up and read Anansi Boys that I already had pre-knowledge about Anansi and his background. As a child my mother used to read to me the Anansi stories retold by Eric. A Kimmel and illustrated by Janet Stevens. I was well aware that Anansi was a very LARGE African spider god, known for his mischief and manipulation of animals around him. However I was not expecting what got when reading the first couple of chapters of Anansi Boys.
It starts out with our main character "Fat" Charlie Nancy. I was not surprised about the nickname for Charlie figured that Anansi was known for being quite the the glutton so I was not surprised about any of his children developing the "thickness". At the start of the story Charlie is in London preparing for is wedding when he is interrupted because his father has suddenly passed and heads to florida to take care and settle things. At this point I am a little confused. I figured that the main characters are human and are living normal human lives but I was surprised from this beginning for a number of reasons. One why are we not in Africa? I mean Anansi is a African god. I was quit surprised at the settling of the story is in London and not Africa and Mr. Nancy, who I assume is Anansi, is in Florida. I am also quite surprise to find out that Charlie actually knows is father. Typically I see the tale in which a boy grows up and then one day they find out who their real father is and go on this epic long quest. To follow in their footsteps to save the world or fulfill their destiny. You know, the same story that has been told a million times before. So the fact that he knew is father right off the bat was a bit of a revealer in hopes that they don't follow the formula.
I was interest to find out that although Charlie knows his father he doesn't know the whole truth about him of corse. His father was actually a reincarnation of Anansi and that although he does not have any powers his brother, Spider, whom he didn't know he had, does. Basically they end up becoming rivals while fighter another rival and surprisingly there is hardly any involvement with Anansi. Which is good in its own way. I mean he was there at times but the story focused more on the journey of Anansi's boys Charlie and Spider. The themes were good. The characters were excellent, expect Coats, who I found quite annoying threw the story. And I felt overall that Neil Gaiman did an execute job in telling a tale of what Anansi and his demigod children would be like in the 21st century.
Lilith's Brood
Lilith's Brood
Octavia Butler
1987-2000
Dawn
I was a little surprise that Lilth;s Brood stems from a collective series of books rather then just one. I was only able to read Dawn and found it rather good as I expected. I am aware of Octavia Butler was a great author so I had really high exception. This was the first novel that I had ever read from her collection and I am sure it will not be my last.
I read Dawn of Lilith's Brood, which was about the human race has basically almost killed eradicated itself with nuclear warfare. To me this settling I ultimately see mankind coming to. People try to say its going to be aliens or a natural disaster that wipes out mankind, like 2012. But I see things differently, mankind. I ultimately think that mankind will end due to greed and power that two things that can and will ultimately destroy any man. I then go on to read that not only do aliens do come later on after the humancide on earth.
These aliens call themselves the Oankali, and basically do what we imagine happens if aliens do come to earth happens but not in the way we expected. Yes they do come and basically try to enslave us, but its not to mine for minerals or anything. These Oankali exactly come to exchange genes with us, which to me, at first, didn't really made any sense at the time. I mean why would anymore want to exchange genes with the most one of the most imperfect species in the universe, to the point that they almost destroyed themselves? Why? I later come to find out that despite how "superior" the Oankail are they need the human in order to give their own genes diversity. The Oankail's perfection is actually there greatest weakness. Which I guess makes sense, It would be horrible if humankind had no diversity whats so ever and where just mindless sheep moving along.
I also come to find our main character Lilith whom in not only a basic slave for the Oankail, but she is also a recruiter for them also. Lilith's is a very conflicting character. She is torn between what her desires are and what is right to do. To either choose between accepting the superior species and their benefits or helping out her own species and break away the oppression of the Oankail. Her choices with the Oankail though are very limited. While reading I notice a lot of the themes of this book I see were sexism and racism. Two of themes that mankind never likes admit doing but continues to do so and tries to act like they are innocent about it. I never got to finish all three parts of the book but I hope one day could sit down and finish reading them.
Octavia Butler
1987-2000
Dawn
I was a little surprise that Lilth;s Brood stems from a collective series of books rather then just one. I was only able to read Dawn and found it rather good as I expected. I am aware of Octavia Butler was a great author so I had really high exception. This was the first novel that I had ever read from her collection and I am sure it will not be my last.
I read Dawn of Lilith's Brood, which was about the human race has basically almost killed eradicated itself with nuclear warfare. To me this settling I ultimately see mankind coming to. People try to say its going to be aliens or a natural disaster that wipes out mankind, like 2012. But I see things differently, mankind. I ultimately think that mankind will end due to greed and power that two things that can and will ultimately destroy any man. I then go on to read that not only do aliens do come later on after the humancide on earth.
These aliens call themselves the Oankali, and basically do what we imagine happens if aliens do come to earth happens but not in the way we expected. Yes they do come and basically try to enslave us, but its not to mine for minerals or anything. These Oankali exactly come to exchange genes with us, which to me, at first, didn't really made any sense at the time. I mean why would anymore want to exchange genes with the most one of the most imperfect species in the universe, to the point that they almost destroyed themselves? Why? I later come to find out that despite how "superior" the Oankail are they need the human in order to give their own genes diversity. The Oankail's perfection is actually there greatest weakness. Which I guess makes sense, It would be horrible if humankind had no diversity whats so ever and where just mindless sheep moving along.
I also come to find our main character Lilith whom in not only a basic slave for the Oankail, but she is also a recruiter for them also. Lilith's is a very conflicting character. She is torn between what her desires are and what is right to do. To either choose between accepting the superior species and their benefits or helping out her own species and break away the oppression of the Oankail. Her choices with the Oankail though are very limited. While reading I notice a lot of the themes of this book I see were sexism and racism. Two of themes that mankind never likes admit doing but continues to do so and tries to act like they are innocent about it. I never got to finish all three parts of the book but I hope one day could sit down and finish reading them.
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