17. Song of Spheres by Walker Larson. Well, this book was definitely interesting. It was a book that I was hoping to love – elements of science, space travel, philosophical questions all. Yet at the end of the day, I found it wanting. Several reasons and I’ll be brief because I don’t really want to spend all that much time writing about this one. Spoilers follow so please be warned if you care for that sort of thing. Firstly, the scientific concepts at the core of this one threw me for a bit of a loop and I’m not quite sure if the author believes in a geocentric model of the universe or not, but I’m left puzzled. I suppose from a conspiracy theory perspective, it’s fascinating to believe it might be true. But for a whole book centered on it? Oh wow. Oh dear. I will give this book some points since I now want to read some actual non-fiction books on astronomy and the earth since this book annoyed me with so much of its science. So yeah, if you want a thriller about a bunch of scientists proving that the sun revolves around the earth? This is your book. Secondly, the prose and craft in this book were…lacking. Thirdly, as much as the book hints and suggestively raises its eyebrow at philosophical questions and the place of man in the world, it never quite goes there. That frustrated me. Either go there or don’t. If you want a book discussing the meaning of life and and the place and purpose of mankind and the possibility of God…well, then, dive in!! This book dances around the edges and never quite commits. All that said? It did keep my attention! I read it in only 2 nights because I really did want to see how the author would wrap up this story. There are certainly thrilling moments! I slightly apologize for being so harsh here, especially as I’m sure this author is still learning his craft and I can certainly not confess I could write anything better. But poor storytelling and wonky science annoys me. What can I say?
Tag: book reviews
Looking across the Sea we Sigh
A few books this Monday evening.
15. Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. A delight of a read. A book that I quickly found myself swept up in, even now struggling to disentangle myself from the lives of these characters I have found myself so fascinated by this past week. My first Stegner and it shall certainly not be the last. His prose is simply fantastic, efficient where it needs to be yet allowing itself to linger over the starkly beautiful in the appropriate moments. His character work is simply phenomenal, each main character breathing and living in such a way I find myself surprised to consider that these may not be real people. Yes, the supporting characters are all a bit plastic and one-note, but the main four? Sid, Charity, Larry and Sally…wow. Perhaps Sally doesn’t quite come across as full-formed, perhaps the halo that descends upon her head once she succumbs to the Great Trial of her life seems a bit much, yet…even that makes sense, as the protagonist cannot help but paint Sally with perhaps a kinder brush. And of course the couple of Sid & Charity – the center around which this novel turns. Perhaps I’m tempted to assign Charity as the true center of this novel which makes sense in light of the fascinating dive into the relationship of Sid and Charity and the roles they both play. Yet still, I see Sid and Charity as a couple and do they really make sense apart? I think not. The end of this novel may seem abrupt but I think only fitting. The characters in this novel are not always shown in the best of light and I think that appropriate for a novel which attempts to simply portray a life-long friendship between two couples for what it is – four very different people interacting in ways which do not always come easy. It may be easy to judge one or the other. But this novel is not about casting judgement or assigning blame. It is simply a curtain raised and actors upon a stage, only partially aware of the part they perform. And this novel is more than a character study, as much as I’ve focused on them. There are remarkable scenes of description of nature and stillness as well as the revelation of life in an age that now seems bygone. I cannot quite resonate with the world of academia yet I found myself fascinated by it nonetheless as I consider the might-have-beens. I love the look into post-Depression America and the characters it bred. And though I may never own a property on a delightfully secluded lake in the northeastern US, I will enjoy the pleasures of reading of such and imagine I too could spend a summer there. Ah but I go far afield. This book has many delightful set pieces, many scenes that I will have stuck in my head for a while, I’m afeared, so powerful is Stegner’s descriptive prose. I may never listen to Beethoven’s 9th in the same way again. I’m sure there are quibbles I could make with the book here and there, but honestly? This was a delight of a book. It’s an adult book yes. I can’t imagine it hitting the same chords if I read this when I was growing up. Even now, reading this as a married man hits in a way I don’t imagine it would if I was single. And I appreciate Stegner avoiding the overly-crude or profane. I find Stegner remarkably restrained in the episodes he chooses to portray and the focal points he draws attention to. In a way, I too wish I could spend my time writing poetry instead of slaving away at the work I do. In a way, I wish I had a scholarly job writing articles and books and spending prolonged periods in Italy. I long for deep conversations about true things with my closest friends long into the night. Thankfully that last is a bit more attainable. So for me, this book feels like a long-lost friend. As I end this book, I return to the characters. So many questions I have. So much treasure to be mined as I consider the themes of friendship and jealousy, vanity and ambition, love and hate – is it not remarkable how many of these strongest of emotions we can feel for those whom we feel ourselves closest to?
16. Rich Wounds by David Mathis. A gloriously refreshing book to read as we approach one of my favourite times of year – Passion Week and Resurrection Sunday. I did not deliberately choose this book at this time for that reason though. I simply wanted a book that was about Jesus, a book that helped me in my meditation of His person and works. And this book delivered! Made up of many short chapters (easily readable in small chunks of time!), this book was good for my soul. The whole book was profitable, but I found myself most moved and encouraged by the section on the Passion Week itself, each little chapter focusing on a small detail of the day at hand. Mathis does a remarkable job of mining truths from the text and I am grateful for his guiding torch that helps me in my desire to know Christ more fully and in this knowledge worship Him all the more. There are so many little asides and references in this book that made the book even richer to me, and I was most gratified to see the author close the text with a commentary on one of the great songs that never ceases to hit home – “Jesus I My Cross Have Taken”. Might we consider the words of that song as we continue through this life with our eyes lifted to our true hope. Someday, we shall be with Christ. Forever.
of lights we sing frantically
A few little book reviews this night. At least I hope they’re little. We shall see.
13. And Once More Saw the Stars – Four Poems for Two Voices by P.K. Page & Philip Stratford. A strange and wonderful poetry paperback I stumbled across in a random second hand bookshop in B.C. a few years past. Finally picked it up off my shelf and I’m glad I did. This is a strange example of genre that I don’t quite know how to classify, even though I’m sure it’s been done before. It’s two artists writing poetry together – a renga, you may say – and it’s slightly offbeat but yet still beautiful the way the voices weave together. The poetry isn’t always exactly my style or to my liking, but yet I still fell under the spell of this book and perhaps that for a meta reason. Page put together this book following the death of Mr. Stratford who died before finishing their lyric dance. The poems are interspersed with the written correspondence enclosed with each succeeding stanza (sent via the trusty mail service – not quite the internet days!) and to be honest? I think I enjoyed this book primarily just to see the way these two poets talked about their poetry and the process and the struggle and the little quirky asides they tossed out as they cobbled together these whispers of the heart. Like I said, if this was just a book of poetry, I may have found myself most unimpressed. But instead…this is a book that is a bit of a window into two artists, showing the collaboration and writing process in a way I’ve not seen it done before. Even my copy has another meta layer on top, with a previous owner making random corrections and comments throughout! I appreciated the tribute to Stratford here and the vulnerability it takes to publicize this correspondence between writers. Grateful for a window into the creative process and it’s made me think more about why and how I write what I do. And some of the sonnets really are quite good! Especially Wilderness I & II – those burst with greater magic and unveiled greater wonders to my soul. This was a worthwhile book and I shall return to it. I came for the poems. I left with the story of two writers whose hearts yearned yet to write of beauty.
14. The Overstory by Richard Powers. There were some things in this book I really loved and there were some things in this book that I really…did not love. And I walked away from this book wondering if maybe Richard Powers is just not the author for me. This is Powers’ magnum opus, the book that won him the Pulitzer and so I assumed that this book would properly wow me. Yet. And. Still. Something in me just doesn’t respond to the way Powers writes and I fully confess it may be my inability to grasp entirely what Powers is attempting to communicate. If anything, it puzzles me because I had a similar reaction when I finished Playground (his most recent book and maybe not the right Powers to start with!). When I finished that book, my ending thought was “Hm.” Same here. I will definitely say one thing though, this book is better than Playground!
Yet I’m already writing too many words and to prevent myself from going overly long, let me say a few of the thoughts I had on this one in more details. Spoilers may follow, be warned if you care about that sort of thing. This book is the tree book. Anyone that’s heard of this book or glances at the title can guess that. And one of the strongest recommendations I can make for this book is that this book definitely makes me want to know more about trees!! As I walk around my neighborhood and my city, I have found myself looking at trees and noticing them in ways I certainly didn’t before. What tree is that? Is it good that there are that many young trees planted close together? Why is half the tree flowering and the other half not? So many questions that I want answers to! I am shamed (though I hope I’m not alone) in realizing how many trees I walk past every day that I can’t name. I am too Olivia (though not Maidenhair, as we’ll get to). If anything, this book made me wish this book was simply a science book about trees and all the wondrous fascinating facts about them. I need to source such a book. But instead…well, and this gets to one of my issues with the book, I struggled to know which was truth and which was fanciful imagery and which was anthropomorphic language and which was possibly some magic realism. There is so much going on with trees here. Yet as much as Powers continually makes it clear the sins humankind is committing against the planet and the trees that inhabit it (and ourselves and our descendants), I was left much fuzzier on what Powers was attempting to communicating about the true essence and reality of trees. Are trees sentient and attempting to communicate to us in a way we simply can’t understand yet? If we had sufficiently advanced computing power and the eyes to see, could we understand the many whispers of the winds that bear the wisdom of countless living, flowering arboreal wonders? In a way, I think Powers may be too clever for me and that the messages he seeks to communicate are cloaked in ways I struggle to grasp. I had the same issue with Playground.
I did much enjoy the early parts of this book – I loved all the individual short stories that told of the lives of so many different people. I initially thought this book was to be entirely a collection of short stories and their connection to trees and the trees’ connection to them and I was here for it. I was so psyched for that book. And I think I was mildly disappointed when those expectations were dashed and I realized all the characters would all interact in their various ways (some more obvious than others). The second part of the book was the weakest by far. Yes, I suppose it was a bit interesting in some ways to see the futile warring of the few against the apathetic selfish tyranny of the many and the attempts of the so-called “eco-terrorists” to save mankind from itself. Yet for some reason the characters in this section all felt a bit caricaturized, a bit plastic. I lost the thread of who was who and what their motivations were. I did really like Dr. Patty Westerford’s sections and though profoundly depressing for multiple reasons, I thought Neelay’s sections were fascinating as well. Yet the rest? They all tended to blend together a bit and I found myself pushing through the brutal horror of it all just to see where Powers was taking us.
I also think I struggled with Powers’ writing style. The metaphors and analogies he uses so often threw me out of the story in their odd juxtaposition to what was occurring on the page. Too often the phrases and imagery felt just a bit too carefully-constructed and artful instead of beautiful and true. This may just be personal taste on my part, but I think I just don’t resonate with his writing style – a bit too much crudity and even a tending towards voyeuristic tendency at times.
Though I struggled with the middle of this book, the end definitely got better and I’m glad I finished this one. I still don’t quite understand what Powers is trying to say – but I appreciated the fact that the ending tone seemed a bit hopeful and optimistic despite the cynical undertone running throughout. Powers is not leaving us in despair – he believes there is reason to hope for good things for the future of this world. Though I’m not quite sure computers and their ilk are the answer, it is fascinating to think of such. Is our incapacity to love each other and our world a product of our own innate selfishness and apathy or simply an inability to understand the messages written in every corner of this world? Do we have an excuse to enable us to continue our way without considering the fact there may be greater truths in this world than we now consider? Perhaps. I’m sure myself and Powers would disagree on what these greater truths are, but I appreciate that he is seeking to use his skills as a writer to tell a story that makes a difference. For true stories have the power of change. But only true stories can do such. This story contains kernels of truth and though I do think Powers’ style simply isn’t for me, I’m grateful this book is in the world.
Interstitial
One little book review squeezed in this balmy February afternoon.
12. the practice of the presence of God by Brother Lawrence. This book was most beneficial and good for my soul. I think it is a book I shall return to from time to time. It is a very tiny book (in both square footage and page count!) but I deliberately slowed my reading pace and stretched this out over a week and a half or so, reading a few pages each night. It is a book that some may scoff at or call simple and that others may gaze warily at suspecting it contains content that is overly mystical and potentially dangerous. I read this and took this book as what I think it was intended to be – a call to be more constantly in communion with our God as we recognize the reality of his presence and the wonder of his love for his children that he has called to himself. Oh how encouraging it is to meditate on the word and work of God! This book is a simple one, written in language that seems old-fashioned and (dare I say) childish at times. Yet the truth contained therein is that which angels marvel at. I’m grateful to read the words and convictions of one monk who spent most of his life seeking to be close to God at all times even in (especially in!) the mundane and everyday activities that at times sap us so. This book encouraged me and convicted me both. I ought spend more time in prayer and constant conversation with my God. I ought form habits that pull me towards such divine contemplation and an intimate realized knowledge that God is real and that He is with me. Do we really believe in God? Do we really believe he is one who is listening and longing to hear our prayers? If so, then why are we not doing more to cultivate and delight in the greatest relationship we will ever have – that of an adopted son and daughter of the living God with this very being himself. I’m grateful to this book for reminding me of such, and of being an aid to renew and spur my hunger and thirst for righteousness – this righteousness only fully realized in saving faith and relationship with Jesus Christ my Lord. Yes at times I read the words of this book and thought – of course it is easy for Brother Lawrence to do this, he’s in a monastery! Excuses excuses. May I more fully and deeply plunge into the deep and true river that is a glorious eternal knowledge and relationship with my God. This book points me towards thinking more of God and less of self, and for that I am grateful. May we ever delight in the most beautiful reality that there could be – eternal peace with God.
Target Bridge is Falling Down Falling Down
All the books all the books!!
10. Books in Black or Red by Edmund Lester Pearson. Ok so this book was not what I was expecting. It’s more of a hodgepodge of essays on bookish matters than a cohesive narrative and well…I am warned straight up in the author’s note of such. So really it is my own issue that I was a bit caught off guard with how random this book is. But there are some gems here, for sure! If you like books and/or reading and want to read about attitudes towards books in the early twentieth century, well then – you may like this! It is very random though, be warned. Some of the chapters are great, particularly the chapter on the Cary Girls and the Book Shop chapters. Other than that, I think this book is of value primarily for its historical value – we peek from a window into early 1920s America (specifically New York City) and smile as we see the author’s thoughts on dime novels, nonsense tales, literary personae and modern trends. We see sly asides here and there (Prohibition has begun!) and we get a flavor of this author’s very firmly cynical attitudes toward modern ideas of progress. I enjoyed this less than I thought I would, simply because there is much in this book that sailed over my head, as so many of the books and tales he references are…much less known now. Maybe this book hit harder back in the 1920s, I know not. Still though, grateful to have read this and contrary to all the eye-rolling the author would send my way for doing this, I’m likely to keep this book on my shelf purely because of its 1923 print date. Hey, at least I don’t organize my books by colour.
11. The Narrow Road Between Desires by Patrick Rothfuss. I just don’t know anymore, Mr. Rothfuss. I really was excited to read this one – it has been far too long since I’ve read any new material from your pen and I recently discovered this on the shelves of a bookstore in Paris. What! New Rothfuss?!? I must read. Clearly I have been out of the loop and didn’t realize this had dropped. Everything Rothfuss has written, I’ve loved. Slow Regard of Silent Things – purely fantastic and delightful and fully of whimsy and joy and melancholy all. I really must revisit it, now that I think so fondly of my memory of it. And of course the first two books of the Kingkiller Chronicle are superb. Not without flaws, no. But fantastic books in their own right and even if the third book never comes out, I’m ok with just those two on my shelf and I shall re-read every now and again. But…what is up with this Bast novella? Where is the magic, where is the joy? I found the prose strangely wooden and affected. It didn’t have the wonder and joy I remember from the previous works from Rothfuss’ pen. Maybe I have just changed? Maybe if I re-read Name of the Wind I’ll find myself similarly left cold? I think not, but now I shudder at the small possibility. But this book did not do it for me. Honestly as much as I complain about the lacking prose (compared to what I know Rothfuss can do), I think the real problem here is the protagonist. I don’t like Bast. I didn’t realize how much his character irked me until now, but this book did him no favours. I suppose Rothfuss intends to show the wild fae nature of Bast in all his sly glory, yet…honestly? Bast is a creeper. The majority of this book is him hanging around with small children and setting up a situation to spy on a young woman in her bath. Um ok, cool. And maybe this is just me being hyper sensitive and modern in my sensibilities but…I didn’t enjoy witnessing Bast in all his prancing, prying and creepy ways. Not sure if the author entirely realizes it or not. I feel a bit bad because I really do appreciate Rothfuss’ other works. And writing these harsh words feels a bit of a betrayal. But…something is off about this one. And reading his author’s note at the end didn’t help much. Instead of smiling at him providing a touchingly intimate tale about his children and his desire to write a “good” story for them, I just noticed the way he compared the themes in this one to the inferior themes in books such as Narnia, Lord of the Rings, etc. I’m sorry but…no? The truth and beauty in those books are so far above anything this novella could hope to dream of.
Definitely Full of Wind
A little book review of a big book.
5. Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson. I am disappointed but not surprised. This book was enjoyable enough in its own right and I read it fairly quickly, all things considered. Yet? This book, the ending to the first major arc in Brandon Sanderson’s magnum opus series, was not a book I found joy in reading. The plot hooked me well enough! If anything, this book has reinforced my belief that Sanderson is a magnificent plotter. He has his story and he knows where he’s going with it. The ending of this book was actually thrilling and the climax caught me genuinely off guard. Yet it fit so well (and was even well sign posted earlier in the book if I’d been paying attention!) and I am actually intrigued to see how the latter half of the Stormlight Archive plays out. The plot is all there. Yet. Do I actually want to read the latter half of the Stormlight Archive? Honestly? I may pass. The reading experience is getting more and more excruciating with each successive book. This may be worse than Rhythm of War. And that was the previous low, in my opinion. Am I being overly harsh? Possibly. Am I just being contrary? Also very possibly. I think I’m just frustrated because I care. I want Sanderson’s books to be great. I’ve seen and read his books that are! Yet this book has little of the charm, whimsy, creativity or gravitas of his earlier books. The character beats are starting to feel rote, even as the plethora of one-liners and italics proclaim the important moments just to make sure that we don’t miss them. (I’m sorry. The italics are something that I just continue to roll my eyes at as they grate me so) And the prose – while Sanderson’s prose has never been great – has continued to decline in quality? Maybe I’m being overly harsh. I know I can’t write like Sanderson and I’m grateful that he has a story he wants to tell. But his characters are continuing to sound more and more similar to each other and less and less like real people. The character moments Sanderson is trying to highlight are straining to be real and vivid yet for all that the author is doing to tell, I struggle to see the show. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just starting to burn out on Sanderson? Way of Kings and Words of Radiance were two books I much enjoyed. The next two? Less so. And this one? It’s similar. Not abysmal yet…not great. Not even good. Average? Yes, I suppose so. As stated earlier, I really did enjoy some of the ending beats. Dalinar’s decision caught me by surprised and propelled things far more forward than I was expecting. I could talk about the other characters but I don’t really want to bother. Except Adolin. Adolin continues to be awesome and I will always love him.
At the end of the day? I read this fairly quickly because I was genuinely interested to see where Sanderson was going. Not sure if or when I’ll want to re-read though, with the journey being such a slog. There is little beauty in this book, little that I will want to return to. Also the truth – as grandiosely self-proclaimed as it is – is somewhat barren in this one. The philosophies espoused are humanistic in the extreme, self-centered and self-glorifying. The grand truths unveiled are trite and simplistic. There is very little in the base philosophy of this book to enliven and hearten the soul. Many books lack true vigor of truth and beauty. I know this. Maybe with this one it grates more simply because of how loudly the book protests the worth of which it contains. Maybe. Or maybe I’m simply becoming slightly less eager to read works that don’t encourage my soul. Maybe this book truly is the pinnacle of modern fantasy. If so, that makes me sad. This may be the last Sanderson for me.
Firewood
New year, new books! Admittedly…some of these were read last year, but just getting around to writing these now, so just going to count them for this year. That’s allowed, right? Right??
1. Christmas with L.M. Montgomery by L.M. Montgomery. A sweet little book of short Christmas stories by one of my favourites. Yes, the stories are a bit twee. Yes, please don’t read these if you are wanting stories that are subversive or surprising. They’re just cute little Christmas stories (3 of them) that will hit all the classic marks and that you will probably read in less than 10 minutes. Or maybe that’s just me. I almost felt like these tales were a homage to Alcott at times (a few subtle clues that signify such and the writing really felt like Alcott’s style!). Anyways, I found myself smiling reading these.
2. Reclaiming Masculinity by Matt Fuller. An outstanding little book. Well worth the read. I started reading this on a recent flight expecting that I’d read the intro and maybe part of a chapter or so, but the author’s writing was so compelling that I found myself reading this book in one sitting, just finishing as plane was landing. I will confess that I picked this up not sure what I was getting into. There are many books on Christian masculinity that seem to be pushing one particular agenda or another and I was a bit doubtful this book would prove to be all that fruitful. Yet? While I’m not sure I particularly learned anything brand new, this book was a good reminder on what are the hallmarks of Christian masculinity, as well as what does not signify such. We are in an age where depending on your culture, religion, or creed (or lack thereof), manhood may look quite different. Some may even cringe to see the word “masculinity”, with all the negative connotations that go hand-in-hand (especially tied to the word that most would associate with it these days – toxic) and some would roll their eyes even to think we need to discuss such an archaic and/or outdated word that assigns traits or qualities to a particular gender. I would argue this book is well needed, now more than ever.
The author writes with superb tact and skill, coming from a Christian worldview and going often to the well of the Bible. Yet the author is very self-aware and understanding of the world and culture (specifically Western evangelicalism) in which many Christians find themselves living. He writes with compassion and yet surprising firmness when necessary. He seeks to understand women’s perspectives and fears – something that is sometimes sadly lacking in Christian books. I found myself enjoying yet also being convicted by the way the author talks about specific Christian masculinity and what it means to be a man according to the Bible. He is not overly dogmatic or pushing of certain cultural norms. Instead, he acknowledges that masculinity may (and will!) look different in different contexts and that we as Christians need to be very careful to not forbid something the Bible has not forbid, neither mandate something that the Bible has not mandated. This is a book written in times where many would dare say there is no substantive difference between manhood and womanhood, yet the author clearly and boldly proclaims that there is a real and meaningful difference between the two. I appreciate the author’s reliance on Scripture, care to understand the current times in which we live, and winsome and frank dialogue. I also appreciated his British humor – it very much helped leaven the work with occasional levity! I think I also appreciated reading an author who is not in the American evangelical sphere (nothing necessarily wrong with that, but good to read other perspectives). Also, with much relief I can report that this book doesn’t just talk about the man/woman relationship. The author speaks of the relationships a man will have in his family, in the church and in the world at large, acknowledging that there is much more to being a man than simply being married or having a child. It discusses the importance and necessity of solid friendships and of mentoring relationships.
One more point? Some books are timeless and you can read them in any year and they will be fruitful. This book (published in 2023) talks about recent events and the ethos of the western age and I am grateful for it, as much as I usually prefer reading old books. The topic of masculinity is one such that I feel a recently written book can be exceedingly helpful as it speaks to the age in which we live and acknowledge the realities in which we daily walk. I could go on and on, but at the end of the day, would heartily recommend this book to any man. (my female friends – I dare say you could also read this book and be encouraged! at least I dearly hope so!)
3. The Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson. Finally completing my re-read of the SA prior to the release of Wind and Truth. I will say, while this book disappointed me when I first read it, perhaps my expectation this time was low enough that I actually enjoyed this a bit more on re-read! I still think that Sanderson’s books have suffered from severe bloat with the last few installments and I still maintain that Sanderson’s reliance on telling instead of showing is severely handicapping his story-telling yet…this book isn’t all bad. There are some epic moments here and there, especially as we come to the end of the book and a twist happens with a particular elderly king and a particular ancient god. And while the flashbacks are not as exciting as in previous installments, I think I appreciated them more this time because I was able to slow down and take my time in then, knowing we weren’t really getting any particularly juicy revelations. I still think the contract made between Odium and Dalinar was pretty underwhelming, but that was kind of the point, I suppose. Also – the interludes continue to be top notch. I am firm in my belief that Sanderson writes best in a single POV and in short stories.
Stars Bleed Through that Velvet Black
45. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis. Finally decided to get back into Narnia, since I’d read the first four books earlier this year(my favourite four!). Really did need to finish the series though – and I’m glad I did. I was reminded that even the lesser Lewis works are far greater and more worthwhile than the vast majority of the other books floating about. This book is an interesting one – set during the reign of the High kings and queens (Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy)…but in an entirely different area of the world. We get a glimpse at Calormen – a not altogether nice place, by many accounts – and we meet some fun new characters(I love Aravis! And Bree!). A joy to read.
46. The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. Yes, this is the proper place for reading this book. 6 out of 7. Some people may differ with me – “but, but…chronologically it comes first!!” I most certainly don’t care. Please never read this book first in the series, because then the magic and the wonder that comes with reading Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe is much diminished. I think reading it right before the last book makes sense for various reasons (not the least of which is the fact that this is the sequence in which the book was published!). Why am I harping on this so? Because I do think that if you plan to read the Narnia series (which I highly recommend!!), most of the complete sets out there nowadays number the books in chronological order, which makes this book the first book in the series. Hence a new reader would assume (rightfully so) that he or she must begin with Magician’s Nephew. So I’m doing my part to forestall that grave error. I do remember many years ago…I’d read most of the Narnia books at various times (I’m not quite sure where, as we never owned them growing up) but for some reason I never knew Magician’s Nephew existed. So one day was at a friend’s house…and discovered this book. I apparently had a spare few hours and I profitably spent them reading this book. And I was enthralled. I knew the rest of the books, I had enjoyed reading about Narnia. And then this book…this is where it all began!! The mythical notes of this book sound strong and I could not help but be quickly drawn into the story of Digory and Polly and how Narnia began (or rather…was created!). The almost sci-fi like elements of the green and yellow rings and the portal world (…er…World between the Woods!) and the dying world with a dying sun tickled my fancy and once I was swept up in the story…the creation of Narnia begins. A wonderful, beautiful book. (But please read it sixth in the series)
47. The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis. Never my favourite of the Narnia books. Sometimes I joke that it may be my least favourite!! Part of the reason for that may be the fact that I do believe it’s not the best written of the Narnia books…the plot is a bit unbelievable at times (Narnia somehow gets co-opted by an ape and about thirty men from Calormen? Really??)…and it’s not really a fun read for the majority. The false Aslan bit, the fall of Narnia, etc. But embedded in this book are a lot of very good thoughts. The presence of a immoral, cruel, false Aslan gives rise to the belief that there is no true Aslan at all and even causes doubt and fear in the minds of the heroes of the story. The devil is the father of lies and truly he loves to twist and murder the truth, especially the truth of Christ. Unbelief is also something that we may think is a form of freedom, but unbelief very quickly turns into chains of the darkest slavery, something we can’t escape even if we wanted to (and we don’t want to). The imagery of the dwarves sitting in the stable in darkness and not seeing the true, beautiful reality – what is so obvious to those who have eyes to see. But these dwarves shut their eyes and shut their ears and believe not, for their foolish eyes are indeed darkened. So…yes, I don’t think this book is the best, but it has some good bits. And I shan’t even describe the end of the book, for I can most certainly not do it justice. But any book that brings me to tears on the last page…I can’t deny the power of the most glorious truth that Lewis is so poignantly holding a candle to.
New Moon
Before my day starts spiraling into madness, thought I’d update briefly! I’m once again behind with my book logs, so here’s a couple more:
38. All Things Made New by John Flavel. This is not a very long book, but…it is deep and rich enough that I’ve been taking my time with it. Written by Flavel (a Puritan minister from mid-17th century England), this book contains so many invigorating and encouraging and (as always necessary!) convicting words about who God is and what our response to Him of necessity must be. Honestly, there are so many different different topics in this book (mostly composed of his sermons on various occasions) and so I shan’t take the time to give a detailed summary of this book. Just know that it encouraged my soul. I need to read more Puritans.
39. Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card. And finally my OSC re-read has drawn to a close. Last book of the Ender series here. And as I remembered, this is definitely the weakest book in the series. I still enjoyed it, as I enjoy most of OSC’s books (but not Homecoming series. Never that series!!), but this book didn’t grip me and pull me onward as most of his books do. He tries to get a bit metaphysical and well…it doesn’t quite work, in my opinion. Yes, he wants to somehow describe the mechanisms of the soul, and what distinguishes man from animals, and dabble in the meaning of our true identity. But…it’s a bit weak, and rightly so. For without a clear understanding of who God is (which I daresay OSC does not have), it is most certainly impossible to describe the true nature of man. How can man’s glory be proclaimed when the far greater and most perfect glory of God is ignored? It cannot be. And yes, I understand OSC is trying to “keep his religion out of it” as far as it goes. He’s writing a science fiction novel, not a religious treatise. Nonetheless, I would argue that his Mormon theology is a detriment to his interweaving of metaphysical ideas into what masquerades as a science fiction novel. This book is the weaker for his indulging himself with overly numerous philosophical maunderings. But! Enough of that. Now on to other books. Which I have not decided on yet.
Now, my friends – it is time that I begin to ponder on my tasks for the day as I sip on my coffee. I thank my God for this day He has made. It is from Him – the Father of light! – from whom all good things come. All my praise to my Lord, my God alone.
Redemption
Quick update this Wednesday morn! Firstly, a few of my latest book logs…I just cannot keep up lately for some reason. My latest three:
35. Shadow Puppets by Orson Scott Card. As said a few entries ago, I sort of read the Bean series out of order. So this is the last one I read, even though it really should have come earlier. Not going to go into plot details, but yet another gripping adventure with amazing characters – I really do love Bean, Petra, Peter et. al. so much!! I think(since it’s been a few weeks since I’ve read this so I’m already forgetting) that this is also the book that Peter’s parents (and Ender & Valentine’s…but they’re not in this book) play a much larger role. They are simply hilarious and I love them much as well. Finally they get to be a bit more than just “the parents”. Fun times. And the ending to this book. I cannot talk about it without spoiling, but to this day I can remember the stunned exhilaration I had when I first realized what had happened near the end of this book. Orson Scott Card is one of my favourite authors for a reason. Speaking of…
36. Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card. The OSC train continues! This is technically the sequel to Ender’s Game but it is a very very different book to that. I was trying to explain the plot of this book to John the other night and…it was a bit difficult. It’s set some 3000 years after the first book. Ender is basically grown up now? He comes to a planet where a Portuguese Catholic colony has been founded and made first contact with an alien species(the pequeninos…) and he meets a very messed up family and there’s also a deadly virus that’s trying to kill everything and I am really going to stop talking about this plot because it’s impossible to summarize for someone who isn’t going to read the book. But it is truly a remarkable book. It starts the trend of each book in the Ender series being more philosophical and “talky” than the last. It starts to get a bit wearing by the final book, but here…this book…masterpiece. And apart from the mystery that must be solved(why did the pequeninos brutally massacre the human scientists? What’s their secret??), the thing that I remember the most about this book is the thrilling human relationships and interactions that OSC describes. Again, OSC is a master at talking about interpersonal relationships and painting vivid characters. So the main family in this book…they have six children right? A lot of times when a lot of characters are described, they all run together and you don’t really remember who’s who. Not this book. I can tell you the name of each character and describe them to you in detail. (Miro, Ela, Quim/Estavao, Olhado, Quara, Grego…) So reading this book – it’s more than just a science fiction novel (although it is that). It’s reading about a family and their problems and their pain and their fears…and what shall be their hope? If you can’t tell, I much enjoyed this one.
37. Xenocide by Orson Scott Card. Next book in the series. Actually just finished this one last night! Shan’t write long about this as I’m very much running out of time. This book is slightly more difficult to read, firstly because of the slightly overwrought philosophical discussions. Secondly because the story of Qing-Jao and the “gods of Path” (actually just an overly aggressive and tragic form of OCD) is definitely not always fun to read. The mental illness aspect is uncomfortable in and of itself. And although OSC is a religious man (his Mormon tendencies do come out at times, as much as I wish they wouldn’t), he does love to play with the idea of religion just being a way for humanity to explain the universe…and in this book in particular, he likes to explore the idea of a character (Qing-Jao) being able to explain any situation or circumstance (whether good or bad) as just being the will of the gods expressed in the disguise of explainable human action. I know what OSC actually believes, so I respect him for having the intellectual honesty to approach this question rigorously…and for these novels, in and of themselves, to take the humanist/agnostic perspective! Nonetheless, it still is slightly irritating, for I do believe in a real God that works in this world. And I believe God is sovereign over all. Of course, Qing-Jao’s dogmatism and unshakable faith in the cruel gods of path is something that I cringe at. Yet I am aware that some others in this world would cringe at my own faith in a God whom many would see as cruel and unloving. Somehow I really did still enjoy this book though. And thinking of things in a religious light, I do long that all in this world would come to know and understand the true God of this universe, a most perfect, just, loving and sovereign God. A God whom we may call Father – if we would only believe in Him. Thus is my heart.
Now I really am running out of time. A few more words and then I shall fly. Last night got to go to a Rockets game with James – Rockets v Blazers! Firstly, the Rockets are…not great right now. So they got destroyed. They’re 1-5 now I think? 1-6? But apart from that! Was an awesome night. Me and James – great talks as always…good to catch up, especially since he is no longer part of Cameron…sad and tragic but great for him so I am happy. And apart from the good chat and good food (classic Rockets meal for me = buffalo chicken strips and fries!), it was an extra-special game night, as James met up with his ticket rep beforehand…and because of…er…how terrible the Rockets are now?…we were offered free seat upgrades to lower level (bonus!) and even more exciting, we got to stand court-side for warm-ups! Sadly the Blazers were warming up on our end, but it was still pretty cool watching the players warm up. I realized I am very small. And just standing on the actual Rockets court – so incredibly amazing for a basketball nerd like me!! And the very best part…? The Rockets starters always get announced after the lights dim, intro video plays…right? And they run onto the court when their name is called, right? Anyways – a few of us who were court-side got to make a little tunnel and high five the Rockets starters as they were announced. So yes, I got to high-five Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, PJ Tucker, Clint Capela & Eric Gordon. Pretty sick. It was pretty amazing to be standing feet from them pre-announcements and watch them get psyched up for the game…Paul is so incredibly focused and intense, stretching, swaying back and forth…game face. No wonder he’s as good as he is. But seriously now…standing right next to these men, you do realize (even though you know this!) that they are regular humans. I may see them on TV and read about them online…but they’re as human as you or me. They are not titans (although they are very tall). They are but men. Severely flawed ones, to be sure. As am I. And so although too often our adulation and praise for sports stars can veer towards the idolatrous, let us remember that our worship belongs to only One. Our Lord, our God. And on that note…let me share a couple verses from a song that encouraged my soul this morning as I drove to work…
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art
High King of Heaven, my victory won
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heav’n’s Sun
Heart of my own heart, whate’er befall
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all
