***/***** (3/5)
It's sad when I start contrasting and comparing movies with chick-lit. KNOCKED UP's hero Ben Stone (played by Seth Rogen) is a romance heroine's worst nightmare: chubby, medium height, slight scruffy beard, unemployed and a chronic druggie/partier. He says and does some of the most boorishly unromantic things. Ben Stone spends time getting high with his goofy male friends, endeavors to launch a potentially lucrative website which maps out (in minutes/seconds) the nude scenes from every possible movie and for every possible actress. Later, Ben and his dorky buddies discover there's already a website that does what they intended. Ben Stone lives off a minor settlement from the Canadian government which approaches its last hundred dollars, and has no other prospects.
Meanwhile, Alison Scott played by Katherine Heigl has everything going for her: she works for E! Entertainment and she was recently promoted, she's young, relatively tall, beautiful and is on the way up. Alison and her older, married sister Debbie go out to celebrate her promotion on a night in town. Though Alison doesn't often party, her recent success prompts a night of drunken stupor where she meets an opportunistic Ben Stone. Ben isn't a ladies man by any stretch of the imagination, but an inebriated Alison knows no better and proceeds to have unprotected sex with Ben. When Ben is in the middle of putting on a condom, Alison yells, "Just do it!" and Ben believes she may have some other form of protection, ditching the condom.
A repulsed Alison wakes to find a scruffy, chubby, hairy Ben in her bed. After they talk over breakfast, it's clear to Alison that she made the biggest mistake in her life. Not only do they have nothing in common, Ben is as gauche as they come often speaking his mind about topics which horrify Alison.
Six weeks later, Alison discovers she's pregnant and the only guy she's been with recently was Ben. Alison calls Ben to notify him, and the "fun" begins from there. Although Ben reacts very unfavorably at first (to say the least), he's a generally good guy and tries to support Alison with trips to the gynecologist and baby shopping. The strident interaction between the two exacerbates with Alison's hormones and Ben's impolitic, adolescent behavior. Eventually, Alison and the baby inspire Ben to clean up his life while Ben's offensively, oafish jokes and manner finally make Alison smile. She starts to have a bit of fun.
Paul Rudd plays Alison's brother-in-law and though I thought he was good, his camaraderie with Ben was a bit weird. I mean you have father of two daughters heading to Las Vegas with Ben and getting high. I suppose Rudd's character needed an outlet for release too.
The movie isn't as laugh-out-loud funny as Apatow's previous movie THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN or the other big comedy hit from two years ago, THE WEDDING CRASHERS. In the end, however, this one is very endearing. I have to commend Katherine Heigl's character Alison for staying with Ben as long as she did given Ben's crass behavior. I would have cut Ben off as a hopeless cause and raised the baby by myself much earlier were I in her place. She definitely has the means to raise the baby by herself. Then again, it's written, produced and directed by a guy, and we wouldn't see Ben try to redeem himself if she were to cut him off so early.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
'07 Movies To-Watch
A footnote of movies I want to see (but haven't yet):
- Spiderman 3
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- Knocked Up
- Transformers
- Stardust
- Superbad
- 3:10 to Yuma
- Beowulf
- Enchanted
- Life Free or Die Hard
- Spiderman 3
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- Knocked Up
- Transformers
- Stardust
- Superbad
- 3:10 to Yuma
- Beowulf
- Enchanted
- Life Free or Die Hard
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Across the Nightingale Floor, by Lian Hearn [1]
*/***** (1/5)
I found Lian Hearn's fantasy tale ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR: TALES OF THE OTORI BOOK ONE entirely a forgettable experience. Unlike Jim Butcher's FURIES OF CALDERON (*), this book doesn't even manage to hook me enough to tempt me to find what happens next. Though I mildly liked this novel's feudal Japanese setting, the lyrical prose, and the magical elements dealing with special abilities of a group of people, I found the plotting, the sluggish pacing, and the characters, amateurish to say the least. For a novel often dealing with eastern martial arts, I thought the book failed to describe engaging fight sequences. Fight sequences often resorted to, "He was cut down in four slashes," or "Takeo held him off," or "(the villain) was more skillful and experienced and held the advantage." As for the plots, well, the webs of intrigue the book touts from Lady Kaede's perspective was uncouthly rustic: Lord Shigeru's revenge plight never resonated, Takeo's devotion and loyalty to Shigeru seemed an easy manipulation on Shigeru's part, the different clan dynamics a black-and-white affair, and the love between Takeo and Kaede entirely a one-sided stint from Kaede to Takeo, not to mention hollow. Kaede throwing herself at Takeo, and Takeo rejecting her was... cold on Takeo's part and prematurely degrading on Kaede's part given her prior strength of character. A deep-rooted enmity should have replaced Kaede's affections for Takeo after his persistent rejections.
Note that the book makes no claim to historical fact and though the settings and characters bear resemblance to Japanese names and places, a boy's-coming-of-age fictional fantasy best characterizes this 287-page hardcover. Although the book boasts about its complex intrigue plots more than once, it essentially boiled down everyone against the evil Tohan clan and their insidious leader Lord Iida Sadamu. There was no real intrigue or mystery here and most of the plotting was very predictable. For example, Shigeru accepting marriage to Kaede in exchange for traveling to the Tohan stronghold Inuyama was so predictable. It was also clear from the beginning that Shigeru wished to use Takeo and his assassination talents to eliminate Iida while Lord Arai moves against the Tohan militarily. I just didn't get Takeo's blind loyalty to Lord Otori Shigeru once Takeo discovers that Shigeru plotted to find him and knew about his special talents from the beginning. Shigeru would sacrifice Takeo to revenge just as Iida would kill Takeo. Just because Shigeru is kind and respected, and he adopts Takeo, he deserves loyalty? Uhuh, don't you love simplistic, honorable young boys like Takeo? So easily manipulated...
I don't necessarily mind Love-At-First-Sight plots, but this book handles it very crassly and it's all too one-sided. Kaede's strong reaction easily overshadows Takeo's. If anyone deserved Takeo's undying loyalty, it would be Kaede. Not the Otori, not Shigeru, and definitely not the Tribe. Only Kaede's love comes without any conditions or restrictions. But Takeo seemed too easily brainwashed by Shigeru and the Tribe to recognize Kaede's giving love. There isn't even any hint of Takeo's vocalized love for Kaede.
ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR is the opening novel to a trilogy dubbed the Tales of the Otori. Again, I liked the feudal Japanese settings, and I found the factually-based concept of the nightingale floor also pretty unique. The book draws its name from real inventions constructed at many residences and temples throughout Japan. In the story, these nightingale floors are sensitive to anyone walking on them and "sing" as a result. Since the villain Iida has many enemies, he has these floors constructed around his residence at Inuyama alerting the guards to any assassination attempts. And no, I don't want to find out what happens in the other two books.
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
For sixteen years, our main character Tomasu grows up amongst the pacifist, egalitarian group of people known as the Hidden. Unknown to him, he's actually the son of a notorious assassin descended from an archaic race known as the Tribe exhibiting special powers such as invisibility, making copies of your appearance, and acute hearing, sight and touch. The Tribe mostly work now as mercenaries selling their services to the highest bidder, keeping their numbers low and veiled. The book's evil clan the Tohan and their cruel leader Iida persecute various Hidden villages believing their ways blasphemous. When Tomasu returns to his remote village from a venture into the nearby mountains, he finds the village burned and everyone killed by the Tohan. Almost thirty-year-old Lord Otori Shigeru rescues Tomasu from the village, gives him a new Otori name -- Takeo -- and takes him to Otori lands. Shigeru isn't there by accident however, and he's actually looking for the son of the famous Tribe assassin to aid him in a plight for revenge against Iida and the Tohan. The Otori and Tohan clans have a mutual hatred for one another and at a recent battle, the Tohan have forced their subordination.
Back at the Otori stronghold of Hagi, Shigeru trains, teaches and formally adopts Takeo as the Otori heir. After Muto Kenji of the Tribe appears in Hagi, Takeo finally learns of his Tribe heritage and his special talents. For a year in Hagi, Takeo learns of patrician ways, sword fighting, calligraphy, and with Kenji as his tutor, Takeo trains his Tribe talents.
Meanwhile, fifteen year-old Lady Shirakawa Kaede is a hostage under the Tohan, and grows up for half her life with servants which demeans her family and noble rank. Kaede grows into a beauty and struggles to fend of older mens' attentions. Consequently, she harbors a hatred for older men. As she's betrothed to a couple of older men who eventually die, she gains the dubious reputation of causing the death of men who want her. Eventually, Iida matches Kaede with Lord Otori Shigeru in a political alliance to bring both the defeated Otori clan and Kaede's clan out west to heel. Shigeru accepts for a chance to travel to Iida's stronghold. Kenji warns Shigeru that the Tribe are now aware of Takeo and will stake a claim on him that Shigeru and the Otori can do nothing to prevent.
When Kaede finally lays her eyes on Takeo, it's love at first sight. Closer to her age, she feels safe with Takeo despite never talking with Takeo once at this point. Takeo's reaction doesn't nearly match Kaede's. Still, Takeo wants her too. Takeo's blind loyalty to Shigeru and the Otori seems to fog everything else.
As the story drudges along to its predictable and unsatisfying conclusion, Kaede's dubious reputation rings true. The book leaves many plots for subsequent books. No thanks, I think I'll quit while I'm ahead.
I found Lian Hearn's fantasy tale ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR: TALES OF THE OTORI BOOK ONE entirely a forgettable experience. Unlike Jim Butcher's FURIES OF CALDERON (*), this book doesn't even manage to hook me enough to tempt me to find what happens next. Though I mildly liked this novel's feudal Japanese setting, the lyrical prose, and the magical elements dealing with special abilities of a group of people, I found the plotting, the sluggish pacing, and the characters, amateurish to say the least. For a novel often dealing with eastern martial arts, I thought the book failed to describe engaging fight sequences. Fight sequences often resorted to, "He was cut down in four slashes," or "Takeo held him off," or "(the villain) was more skillful and experienced and held the advantage." As for the plots, well, the webs of intrigue the book touts from Lady Kaede's perspective was uncouthly rustic: Lord Shigeru's revenge plight never resonated, Takeo's devotion and loyalty to Shigeru seemed an easy manipulation on Shigeru's part, the different clan dynamics a black-and-white affair, and the love between Takeo and Kaede entirely a one-sided stint from Kaede to Takeo, not to mention hollow. Kaede throwing herself at Takeo, and Takeo rejecting her was... cold on Takeo's part and prematurely degrading on Kaede's part given her prior strength of character. A deep-rooted enmity should have replaced Kaede's affections for Takeo after his persistent rejections.
Note that the book makes no claim to historical fact and though the settings and characters bear resemblance to Japanese names and places, a boy's-coming-of-age fictional fantasy best characterizes this 287-page hardcover. Although the book boasts about its complex intrigue plots more than once, it essentially boiled down everyone against the evil Tohan clan and their insidious leader Lord Iida Sadamu. There was no real intrigue or mystery here and most of the plotting was very predictable. For example, Shigeru accepting marriage to Kaede in exchange for traveling to the Tohan stronghold Inuyama was so predictable. It was also clear from the beginning that Shigeru wished to use Takeo and his assassination talents to eliminate Iida while Lord Arai moves against the Tohan militarily. I just didn't get Takeo's blind loyalty to Lord Otori Shigeru once Takeo discovers that Shigeru plotted to find him and knew about his special talents from the beginning. Shigeru would sacrifice Takeo to revenge just as Iida would kill Takeo. Just because Shigeru is kind and respected, and he adopts Takeo, he deserves loyalty? Uhuh, don't you love simplistic, honorable young boys like Takeo? So easily manipulated...
I don't necessarily mind Love-At-First-Sight plots, but this book handles it very crassly and it's all too one-sided. Kaede's strong reaction easily overshadows Takeo's. If anyone deserved Takeo's undying loyalty, it would be Kaede. Not the Otori, not Shigeru, and definitely not the Tribe. Only Kaede's love comes without any conditions or restrictions. But Takeo seemed too easily brainwashed by Shigeru and the Tribe to recognize Kaede's giving love. There isn't even any hint of Takeo's vocalized love for Kaede.
ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR is the opening novel to a trilogy dubbed the Tales of the Otori. Again, I liked the feudal Japanese settings, and I found the factually-based concept of the nightingale floor also pretty unique. The book draws its name from real inventions constructed at many residences and temples throughout Japan. In the story, these nightingale floors are sensitive to anyone walking on them and "sing" as a result. Since the villain Iida has many enemies, he has these floors constructed around his residence at Inuyama alerting the guards to any assassination attempts. And no, I don't want to find out what happens in the other two books.
The Story, possible SPOILERS.
For sixteen years, our main character Tomasu grows up amongst the pacifist, egalitarian group of people known as the Hidden. Unknown to him, he's actually the son of a notorious assassin descended from an archaic race known as the Tribe exhibiting special powers such as invisibility, making copies of your appearance, and acute hearing, sight and touch. The Tribe mostly work now as mercenaries selling their services to the highest bidder, keeping their numbers low and veiled. The book's evil clan the Tohan and their cruel leader Iida persecute various Hidden villages believing their ways blasphemous. When Tomasu returns to his remote village from a venture into the nearby mountains, he finds the village burned and everyone killed by the Tohan. Almost thirty-year-old Lord Otori Shigeru rescues Tomasu from the village, gives him a new Otori name -- Takeo -- and takes him to Otori lands. Shigeru isn't there by accident however, and he's actually looking for the son of the famous Tribe assassin to aid him in a plight for revenge against Iida and the Tohan. The Otori and Tohan clans have a mutual hatred for one another and at a recent battle, the Tohan have forced their subordination.
Back at the Otori stronghold of Hagi, Shigeru trains, teaches and formally adopts Takeo as the Otori heir. After Muto Kenji of the Tribe appears in Hagi, Takeo finally learns of his Tribe heritage and his special talents. For a year in Hagi, Takeo learns of patrician ways, sword fighting, calligraphy, and with Kenji as his tutor, Takeo trains his Tribe talents.
Meanwhile, fifteen year-old Lady Shirakawa Kaede is a hostage under the Tohan, and grows up for half her life with servants which demeans her family and noble rank. Kaede grows into a beauty and struggles to fend of older mens' attentions. Consequently, she harbors a hatred for older men. As she's betrothed to a couple of older men who eventually die, she gains the dubious reputation of causing the death of men who want her. Eventually, Iida matches Kaede with Lord Otori Shigeru in a political alliance to bring both the defeated Otori clan and Kaede's clan out west to heel. Shigeru accepts for a chance to travel to Iida's stronghold. Kenji warns Shigeru that the Tribe are now aware of Takeo and will stake a claim on him that Shigeru and the Otori can do nothing to prevent.
When Kaede finally lays her eyes on Takeo, it's love at first sight. Closer to her age, she feels safe with Takeo despite never talking with Takeo once at this point. Takeo's reaction doesn't nearly match Kaede's. Still, Takeo wants her too. Takeo's blind loyalty to Shigeru and the Otori seems to fog everything else.
As the story drudges along to its predictable and unsatisfying conclusion, Kaede's dubious reputation rings true. The book leaves many plots for subsequent books. No thanks, I think I'll quit while I'm ahead.
Monday, September 24, 2007
River God, by Wilbur Smith [3]
***/***** (3/5)
I love brave and honest men, they are so easily manipulated.
Except for the last parts of this 528-page hardcover published in 1993, I found myself mostly captivated by Wilbur Smith's RIVER GOD: A NOVEL OF ANCIENT EGYPT. The book silhouettes a compelling tale of Egypt in 1780-B.C. embroiled in bitter war and eventually giving rise to a line of princes and pharaohs that lifts Egypt to the peak of its glory. Entirely written in a very unique first-person, we journey through two generations with our main character, a boastful and vain eunuch slave narrator. Although I can't say I really liked his character, Taita's first-person narration strikes a very fresh appeal: he's a eunuch slave, he's vain, he's brilliant, he's artistic, he's compassionate, he's vengeful, and he loves like a man. Ultimately, he's very human. In the epic RIVER GOD, we're privy to political intrigue, conspiracy, love, war, violence, kingdoms lost, despair and triumph. We read about an Egyptian civilization turned upside down with the advent of a new technology (wheel), and the introduction of a new animal (the horse). I enjoyed the battle warfare and the passionate moments of love between Lostris and Tanus. The book can be violent at times, and if you're sensitive to slavery, you may not like this historical tale of ancient Egypt.
Possible SPOILERS ahead.
Although Wilbur Smith packs some page-turning enthralling moments, I found the last 50 pages overwhelmingly melancholy. After a heart-wrenching love story spanning most of the first half in this novel, I couldn't take the sad ending. Taita's self-aggrandizing commentary wearied me and his love for his mistress Lostris as a man irked me. Granted, these are very human emotions especially for a handsome, brilliant man castrated after he's enjoyed a woman's passion, but I was begging for some other perspective in this 528-page Egyptian epic. I especially wanted Tanus' perspective. From Taita's point-of-view, everyone else is too one-dimensional: Tanus the redoubtable honorable warrior, Lostris the stubbornly passionate Queen, Kratas the jocular ruffian, and even Prince Memnon seems drab. For most of the novel, Lostris affectionately considers Taita her father and brother. At the end, Lostris wishes for a different kind of love with Taita in the next life. Considering the fact that Lostris and Tanus had to hide their passion and love for each other in this life and they never knew each other as husband and wife, I found this last wish of Lostris' especially sad. More so than the deaths. Did she love Taita more than she led on in the beginning? Had Taita not been a eunuch, would she have eventually cast aside Tanus intimately? After a gripping battle in the middle where the invading Hyksos thoroughly rout a well-trained and disciplined Egyptian army, I found our protagonists' retreat back through the cataracts south of the Nile very, very protracted. Only to arrive at a very unsatisfying conclusion. But alas, such is history.
I'm not sure who is the River God in RIVER GOD. Ostensibly, it may refer to Tanus' role in the first half when he's acclaimed Akh-Horus, an Egyptian God. However, our narrator's influence overshadows all other characters here and his love for his mistress Lostris eclipses that of Tanus' love for Lostris... at least from Taita's perspective. The book firmly belongs to our eunuch-slave narrator Taita: playwright, inventor, surgeon, economic investor, astrologist, architect, singer, scholar, and most of all, devoted slave to his mistress Lostris. Since Taita appears to be behind every vital event and innovative thought for Egypt, if there's any god here, it's Taita. What else can you expect from the author of these scrolls?
The Story.
It is a time of turmoil in ancient Egypt ruled by a weak king, the Pharaoh Mamose. The Pharaoh has lost half his kingdom (Lower Egypt) to a usurper while robber bands rampantly plague his citizens. The loss of the fertile delta and the lower kingdom (relative to the Nile's flow) beggars Egypt's citizens while the robber barons discourage profitable trade. Pharaoh Mamose is a morose fellow because of these problems, but he also worries over a lack of a male heir. Hundreds of wives have failed to produce one son for him! In the midst of this declining time for Egypt, we have our eunuch Taita, slave to Pharaoh Mamose's most powerful, wealthy yet sadistic lord, the Lord Intef. Intef's 14 year-old daughter Lady Lostris loves the powerful warrior Tanus whose father was paupered and discredited with treachery. Of course, Taita serves as the link between our two lovers Lostris and Tanus.
The story opens at the festival of Osiris (an Egyptian god) with a play written and directed by Taita wherein both Tanus and Lostris partake major roles. Lostris' wealthy father Intef hosts the entire festival including the play where the Pharaoh sits in attendance amongst other nobility and favored gentry. There's some treachery right of the bat as Intef strives to eliminate his enemies.
As the story rages on, the honorable and capable Tanus refuses to supplant Pharaoh Mamose from the crown despite enjoying the support of the entire army and faces possible death as a result. While Tanus steps aside to watch his love Lostris married to Pharaoh, Tanus numbly accepts the edict forcing him to evict the robber barons plaguing Upper Egypt in two years time else submit to penalty of death by strangulation. The first half is fairly heart-wrenching as both Tanus and Lostris drown in their own misery while Lostris' slave Taita saves both from attempted suicide.
...I had seen both their faces light up at the intimate touch, and sensed their mutual passion like thunder in the air. I knew that they could not restrain themselves for much longer, and that even Tanus' sense of duty and honour must in the end succumb to so great a love as theirs...
After aiding his mistress Lostris cope with her first painful time and loss of virginity to Pharaoh, Taita whips Tanus back into shape and masterminds the scheme which will help Tanus fulfill his promise to Pharaoh and destroy the robber barons. A new legend rises amongst the people of Egypt of Akh-Horus, the Egyptian god destroying the robbers and protecting his people. Trade and economy fluorish as a result of Tanus' and Taita's efforts.
While I was still busy with the lamp and my back was turned to the entrance, my mistress (Lostris) screamed. It was a sound so high and filled with such mortal terror that I was struck with equal dread, and the courses of my blood ran thick and slow as honey, although my heart raced like the hooves of the flying gazelle. I spun about and reached for my dagger, but when I saw the monster whose bulk filled the doorway, I froze without touching the weapon on my belt. I knew instinctively that my puny blade would avail us not at all against whatever this creature might be.
In the feeble light of the lamp the form was indistinct and distorted. I saw that it had a human shape, but it was too large to be a man, and the grotesque head convinced me that this was indeed that dreadful crocodile-headed monster from the underworld that devours the hearts of those who are found wanting on the scales of Thoth, the monster depicted on the walls of the tomb. The head gleamed with reptilian scales, and the beak was that of an eagle or a gigantic turtle. The eyes were deep and fathomless pits that stared at us implacably. Great wings sprouted from its shoulders. Half-furled, they flapped about the towering body like those of a falcon at bate. I expected the creature to launch itself on those and to rend my mistress (Lostris) with brazen talons. She must have dreaded this as much as I, for she screamed again as she crouched at the monster's feet.
Then suddenly I realized that the creature was not winged, but that the folds of a long woolen cape, such as the Bedouin wear, were flogging on the wind. While we were still frozen by this horrible presence, it raised both hands and lifted off the gilded war helmet with the visor fashioned like the head of eagle. Then it shook its head and a mass of red-gold curls tumbled won on to the broad shoulders.
'From the top of the cliff I saw you coming through the storm,' it said in those dear familiar tones.
My mistress screamed again, this time with wildly ringing joy. 'Tanus!'
She flew to him, and he gathered up her up as though she were a child and lifted her so high that her head brushed the rock roof. Then he brought her down and folded her to his chest. From the cradle of his arms, she reached up with her mouth for his, and it seemed that they might devour each other with the strength of their need.
Much to our narrator Taita's heartbreak and sorrow, the book finally joins our separated lovers Tanus and Lostris while a wind storm secludes Tanus, Lostris and Taita in a burial cave. Eerily, although Taita never really laments over Lostris' loss of virginity to Pharaoh, Taita mourns the consummation of the love Tanus and Lostris bear for each other. Though Taita loves both Lostris and Tanus and though Taita is a eunuch, Taita envies Tanus nonetheless. The import of this love affair engenders the son which will carry Pharaoh's crown.
The mystery and intrigue behind the robber barons are revealed after Tanus' allotted time to bring them to heel comes to pass. A threat greater than the usurper in Lower Egypt and the robber bands soon arises out of the northeast: the Hyksos and their Shepherd King Salitis. The Hyksos sweep everything in their path and introduce our narrator Taita to the wheel, horse and chariot. The second half of the novel dragged quite a bit as remnants of the Egyptian civilization flee on the Nile down south, ever south. They must traverse six cataracts and endure over two decades before they're able to return and reclaim Upper Egypt. By this time, the Prince Memnon, Lostris & Tanus' son, is a man and ready to take back what is his.
Mostly captivating and enjoyable warfare/love, I could have done without the second half and the sad, overwhelmingly melancholy conclusion to this novel. Yes, I'm probably a sucker for happy endings.
More ramblings...
One of my biggest problems had to do with the plot device that has Taita scheme to pass off Lostris & Tanus' son as Lostris & the Pharaoh's son. First, I didn't like how Lostris was so amenable to sleep with the Pharaoh after she and Taita discover she's pregnant. I had hoped she would recoil from going to the Pharaoh's bed after her dreamy lovemaking with Tanus, . Eventually, Taita could convince her that sleeping with the Pharaoh would best serve the unborn child's interests and she could begrudgingly acquiesce. As it is, she's too ready to go to another man (the Pharaoh) after Tanus. Secondly, you would think one of Pharaoh's hundreds of other wives would have already attempted to pass off another man's son as Pharaoh's! Taita notes how the sexual appetites of some of Pharaoh's wives knew no bounds, so you're telling me not one of them thought to pass of another man's son as Pharaoh's? Seriously, why does it work for Taita and Lostris?
Worst, the second time Lostris is pregnant, Taita divines a dream to explain her condition without implicating Tanus. Taita dissembles that he dreamed the old Pharaoh resurrected from his sarcophagus in spirit form to impregnate the Queen Lostris. First, it seems ludicrous that this deception wouldn't work on the late Pharaoh during Lostris' first pregnancy yet will work like a charm on a hundreds of others. Secondly, I love how Tanus is too proud and honorable for kingship yet will consent to passing off illegitimate children of his as the previous Pharaoh's. Talk about hypocrisy, I didn't see how Wilbur Smith is able to credit Tanus' character. He won't even marry Lostris after her second pregnancy and assume regency for a short while until Memnon is of age. Tanus' character reeks of a duplicitous air of self-important morality. I just don't get how Tanus justifies deceiving the Egyptian crown with his own children yet won't take a temporary regency? He doesn't care that he'll never be able to acknowledge his own children, and that nevermind other people, but even his own children will not know their own true father? It's actually quite sad, to his last dying day, none of Tanus' children know him as their true father and Tanus makes Taita promise not to reveal it.
I love brave and honest men, they are so easily manipulated.
Except for the last parts of this 528-page hardcover published in 1993, I found myself mostly captivated by Wilbur Smith's RIVER GOD: A NOVEL OF ANCIENT EGYPT. The book silhouettes a compelling tale of Egypt in 1780-B.C. embroiled in bitter war and eventually giving rise to a line of princes and pharaohs that lifts Egypt to the peak of its glory. Entirely written in a very unique first-person, we journey through two generations with our main character, a boastful and vain eunuch slave narrator. Although I can't say I really liked his character, Taita's first-person narration strikes a very fresh appeal: he's a eunuch slave, he's vain, he's brilliant, he's artistic, he's compassionate, he's vengeful, and he loves like a man. Ultimately, he's very human. In the epic RIVER GOD, we're privy to political intrigue, conspiracy, love, war, violence, kingdoms lost, despair and triumph. We read about an Egyptian civilization turned upside down with the advent of a new technology (wheel), and the introduction of a new animal (the horse). I enjoyed the battle warfare and the passionate moments of love between Lostris and Tanus. The book can be violent at times, and if you're sensitive to slavery, you may not like this historical tale of ancient Egypt.
Possible SPOILERS ahead.
Although Wilbur Smith packs some page-turning enthralling moments, I found the last 50 pages overwhelmingly melancholy. After a heart-wrenching love story spanning most of the first half in this novel, I couldn't take the sad ending. Taita's self-aggrandizing commentary wearied me and his love for his mistress Lostris as a man irked me. Granted, these are very human emotions especially for a handsome, brilliant man castrated after he's enjoyed a woman's passion, but I was begging for some other perspective in this 528-page Egyptian epic. I especially wanted Tanus' perspective. From Taita's point-of-view, everyone else is too one-dimensional: Tanus the redoubtable honorable warrior, Lostris the stubbornly passionate Queen, Kratas the jocular ruffian, and even Prince Memnon seems drab. For most of the novel, Lostris affectionately considers Taita her father and brother. At the end, Lostris wishes for a different kind of love with Taita in the next life. Considering the fact that Lostris and Tanus had to hide their passion and love for each other in this life and they never knew each other as husband and wife, I found this last wish of Lostris' especially sad. More so than the deaths. Did she love Taita more than she led on in the beginning? Had Taita not been a eunuch, would she have eventually cast aside Tanus intimately? After a gripping battle in the middle where the invading Hyksos thoroughly rout a well-trained and disciplined Egyptian army, I found our protagonists' retreat back through the cataracts south of the Nile very, very protracted. Only to arrive at a very unsatisfying conclusion. But alas, such is history.
I'm not sure who is the River God in RIVER GOD. Ostensibly, it may refer to Tanus' role in the first half when he's acclaimed Akh-Horus, an Egyptian God. However, our narrator's influence overshadows all other characters here and his love for his mistress Lostris eclipses that of Tanus' love for Lostris... at least from Taita's perspective. The book firmly belongs to our eunuch-slave narrator Taita: playwright, inventor, surgeon, economic investor, astrologist, architect, singer, scholar, and most of all, devoted slave to his mistress Lostris. Since Taita appears to be behind every vital event and innovative thought for Egypt, if there's any god here, it's Taita. What else can you expect from the author of these scrolls?
The Story.
It is a time of turmoil in ancient Egypt ruled by a weak king, the Pharaoh Mamose. The Pharaoh has lost half his kingdom (Lower Egypt) to a usurper while robber bands rampantly plague his citizens. The loss of the fertile delta and the lower kingdom (relative to the Nile's flow) beggars Egypt's citizens while the robber barons discourage profitable trade. Pharaoh Mamose is a morose fellow because of these problems, but he also worries over a lack of a male heir. Hundreds of wives have failed to produce one son for him! In the midst of this declining time for Egypt, we have our eunuch Taita, slave to Pharaoh Mamose's most powerful, wealthy yet sadistic lord, the Lord Intef. Intef's 14 year-old daughter Lady Lostris loves the powerful warrior Tanus whose father was paupered and discredited with treachery. Of course, Taita serves as the link between our two lovers Lostris and Tanus.
The story opens at the festival of Osiris (an Egyptian god) with a play written and directed by Taita wherein both Tanus and Lostris partake major roles. Lostris' wealthy father Intef hosts the entire festival including the play where the Pharaoh sits in attendance amongst other nobility and favored gentry. There's some treachery right of the bat as Intef strives to eliminate his enemies.
As the story rages on, the honorable and capable Tanus refuses to supplant Pharaoh Mamose from the crown despite enjoying the support of the entire army and faces possible death as a result. While Tanus steps aside to watch his love Lostris married to Pharaoh, Tanus numbly accepts the edict forcing him to evict the robber barons plaguing Upper Egypt in two years time else submit to penalty of death by strangulation. The first half is fairly heart-wrenching as both Tanus and Lostris drown in their own misery while Lostris' slave Taita saves both from attempted suicide.
...I had seen both their faces light up at the intimate touch, and sensed their mutual passion like thunder in the air. I knew that they could not restrain themselves for much longer, and that even Tanus' sense of duty and honour must in the end succumb to so great a love as theirs...
After aiding his mistress Lostris cope with her first painful time and loss of virginity to Pharaoh, Taita whips Tanus back into shape and masterminds the scheme which will help Tanus fulfill his promise to Pharaoh and destroy the robber barons. A new legend rises amongst the people of Egypt of Akh-Horus, the Egyptian god destroying the robbers and protecting his people. Trade and economy fluorish as a result of Tanus' and Taita's efforts.
While I was still busy with the lamp and my back was turned to the entrance, my mistress (Lostris) screamed. It was a sound so high and filled with such mortal terror that I was struck with equal dread, and the courses of my blood ran thick and slow as honey, although my heart raced like the hooves of the flying gazelle. I spun about and reached for my dagger, but when I saw the monster whose bulk filled the doorway, I froze without touching the weapon on my belt. I knew instinctively that my puny blade would avail us not at all against whatever this creature might be.
In the feeble light of the lamp the form was indistinct and distorted. I saw that it had a human shape, but it was too large to be a man, and the grotesque head convinced me that this was indeed that dreadful crocodile-headed monster from the underworld that devours the hearts of those who are found wanting on the scales of Thoth, the monster depicted on the walls of the tomb. The head gleamed with reptilian scales, and the beak was that of an eagle or a gigantic turtle. The eyes were deep and fathomless pits that stared at us implacably. Great wings sprouted from its shoulders. Half-furled, they flapped about the towering body like those of a falcon at bate. I expected the creature to launch itself on those and to rend my mistress (Lostris) with brazen talons. She must have dreaded this as much as I, for she screamed again as she crouched at the monster's feet.
Then suddenly I realized that the creature was not winged, but that the folds of a long woolen cape, such as the Bedouin wear, were flogging on the wind. While we were still frozen by this horrible presence, it raised both hands and lifted off the gilded war helmet with the visor fashioned like the head of eagle. Then it shook its head and a mass of red-gold curls tumbled won on to the broad shoulders.
'From the top of the cliff I saw you coming through the storm,' it said in those dear familiar tones.
My mistress screamed again, this time with wildly ringing joy. 'Tanus!'
She flew to him, and he gathered up her up as though she were a child and lifted her so high that her head brushed the rock roof. Then he brought her down and folded her to his chest. From the cradle of his arms, she reached up with her mouth for his, and it seemed that they might devour each other with the strength of their need.
Much to our narrator Taita's heartbreak and sorrow, the book finally joins our separated lovers Tanus and Lostris while a wind storm secludes Tanus, Lostris and Taita in a burial cave. Eerily, although Taita never really laments over Lostris' loss of virginity to Pharaoh, Taita mourns the consummation of the love Tanus and Lostris bear for each other. Though Taita loves both Lostris and Tanus and though Taita is a eunuch, Taita envies Tanus nonetheless. The import of this love affair engenders the son which will carry Pharaoh's crown.
The mystery and intrigue behind the robber barons are revealed after Tanus' allotted time to bring them to heel comes to pass. A threat greater than the usurper in Lower Egypt and the robber bands soon arises out of the northeast: the Hyksos and their Shepherd King Salitis. The Hyksos sweep everything in their path and introduce our narrator Taita to the wheel, horse and chariot. The second half of the novel dragged quite a bit as remnants of the Egyptian civilization flee on the Nile down south, ever south. They must traverse six cataracts and endure over two decades before they're able to return and reclaim Upper Egypt. By this time, the Prince Memnon, Lostris & Tanus' son, is a man and ready to take back what is his.
Mostly captivating and enjoyable warfare/love, I could have done without the second half and the sad, overwhelmingly melancholy conclusion to this novel. Yes, I'm probably a sucker for happy endings.
More ramblings...
One of my biggest problems had to do with the plot device that has Taita scheme to pass off Lostris & Tanus' son as Lostris & the Pharaoh's son. First, I didn't like how Lostris was so amenable to sleep with the Pharaoh after she and Taita discover she's pregnant. I had hoped she would recoil from going to the Pharaoh's bed after her dreamy lovemaking with Tanus, . Eventually, Taita could convince her that sleeping with the Pharaoh would best serve the unborn child's interests and she could begrudgingly acquiesce. As it is, she's too ready to go to another man (the Pharaoh) after Tanus. Secondly, you would think one of Pharaoh's hundreds of other wives would have already attempted to pass off another man's son as Pharaoh's! Taita notes how the sexual appetites of some of Pharaoh's wives knew no bounds, so you're telling me not one of them thought to pass of another man's son as Pharaoh's? Seriously, why does it work for Taita and Lostris?
Worst, the second time Lostris is pregnant, Taita divines a dream to explain her condition without implicating Tanus. Taita dissembles that he dreamed the old Pharaoh resurrected from his sarcophagus in spirit form to impregnate the Queen Lostris. First, it seems ludicrous that this deception wouldn't work on the late Pharaoh during Lostris' first pregnancy yet will work like a charm on a hundreds of others. Secondly, I love how Tanus is too proud and honorable for kingship yet will consent to passing off illegitimate children of his as the previous Pharaoh's. Talk about hypocrisy, I didn't see how Wilbur Smith is able to credit Tanus' character. He won't even marry Lostris after her second pregnancy and assume regency for a short while until Memnon is of age. Tanus' character reeks of a duplicitous air of self-important morality. I just don't get how Tanus justifies deceiving the Egyptian crown with his own children yet won't take a temporary regency? He doesn't care that he'll never be able to acknowledge his own children, and that nevermind other people, but even his own children will not know their own true father? It's actually quite sad, to his last dying day, none of Tanus' children know him as their true father and Tanus makes Taita promise not to reveal it.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Breach, directed by Billy Ray [3]
***/***** (3/5)
While I'm engrossed in Wilbur Smith's RIVER GOD: A NOVEL OF ANCIENT EGYPT, I wanted to share my reaction to BREACH. I caught it on DVD a couple weeks ago and though it was slow-developing, I thought it was good. Chris Cooper was magnificent playing FBI senior agent Robert Hanssen.
Hailed as the single greatest security breach in U.S. history, BREACH portrays the factually-based betrayal and consequent conviction of grizzly FBI veteran Robert Hanssen. There's some weird moments in the movie, like Hanssen's interest in porn and young women, most notably his young partner's wife played by Caroline Dhavernas. Hanssen's religious nature was also a bit bizarre, but all of the irregularities in his nature mysteriously framed the persona of a man in the most clandestine levels of government betraying his own country. Ryan Phillippe plays the part of the upstart, young FBI agent partnered with Hanssen to uncover the evidence which will ultimately prove how Hanssen has been selling secrets to the Soviet Union for over 25 years.
I thought Ryan Phillippe was miscast, they needed a much stronger actor than what he offers to the table. There's a scene at the end where Chris Cooper's character Hanssen is intimidating Phillippe with a gun, and Phillippe's acting left something to be desired. Chris Cooper was amazing, and just like AMERICAN BEAUTY, he just exudes a palpable aura of depravity and mystery.
The movie is an actor's movie, extremely light on the action. If it wasn't so slow-developing and Ryan Phillippe's presence, this movie would have scored higher.
While I'm engrossed in Wilbur Smith's RIVER GOD: A NOVEL OF ANCIENT EGYPT, I wanted to share my reaction to BREACH. I caught it on DVD a couple weeks ago and though it was slow-developing, I thought it was good. Chris Cooper was magnificent playing FBI senior agent Robert Hanssen.
Hailed as the single greatest security breach in U.S. history, BREACH portrays the factually-based betrayal and consequent conviction of grizzly FBI veteran Robert Hanssen. There's some weird moments in the movie, like Hanssen's interest in porn and young women, most notably his young partner's wife played by Caroline Dhavernas. Hanssen's religious nature was also a bit bizarre, but all of the irregularities in his nature mysteriously framed the persona of a man in the most clandestine levels of government betraying his own country. Ryan Phillippe plays the part of the upstart, young FBI agent partnered with Hanssen to uncover the evidence which will ultimately prove how Hanssen has been selling secrets to the Soviet Union for over 25 years.
I thought Ryan Phillippe was miscast, they needed a much stronger actor than what he offers to the table. There's a scene at the end where Chris Cooper's character Hanssen is intimidating Phillippe with a gun, and Phillippe's acting left something to be desired. Chris Cooper was amazing, and just like AMERICAN BEAUTY, he just exudes a palpable aura of depravity and mystery.
The movie is an actor's movie, extremely light on the action. If it wasn't so slow-developing and Ryan Phillippe's presence, this movie would have scored higher.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
New Bush book, Robert Draper's Dead Certain
Not sure if you've read Robert Draper's brand spankin' new Bush book DEAD CERTAIN: The Presidency of George W. Bush, but I've been hearing some discussion about this book where I live here in DC. There's plenty of GW biographies out there from the left and right sides, though I don't know if any one of them had the access to all the one-on-one interviews Robert Draper has had. Draper personally interviews George W. and Laura Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleeza Rice, Karl Rove, and perhaps 200 other key players in the Bush Administration.
I haven't read this myself yet but from what I'm hearing, the most fascinating information in the book deals with how Bush delegated the decision to disband the Iraqi military after the invasion. Something that's arguably considered a mistake now since many of the former Iraqi soldiers went on to join the insurgency. Laura Bush's enmity towards Karl Rove was another very juicy tidbit.
I may have to check out this book, I'm certainly intrigued. By the way, what a great title. DEAD CERTAIN, I love it...
I recall when the country was up in arms about Bill Clinton sleeping with an intern and then lying about it. I abhor all politicians and I hate the extremes on both sides of the aisle, but if I'm going to be realistic about this, I have to wonder which was the lesser evil. Having Bush embroil us in Iraq on the claim of nuclear weapons or Bill Clinton sleeping around and then lying about it? One ill-researched decision based on misinformation affects many countries and various peoples while the other affects a specific family. I love how Bush and the republicans ran on bringing integrity back to Washington D.C. in 2000, and now we have over 10 republican legislators mired in sex scandals including ex- Idaho Senator Larry Craig.
Have a few hours to kill at the airport?
I haven't read this myself yet but from what I'm hearing, the most fascinating information in the book deals with how Bush delegated the decision to disband the Iraqi military after the invasion. Something that's arguably considered a mistake now since many of the former Iraqi soldiers went on to join the insurgency. Laura Bush's enmity towards Karl Rove was another very juicy tidbit.
I may have to check out this book, I'm certainly intrigued. By the way, what a great title. DEAD CERTAIN, I love it...
I recall when the country was up in arms about Bill Clinton sleeping with an intern and then lying about it. I abhor all politicians and I hate the extremes on both sides of the aisle, but if I'm going to be realistic about this, I have to wonder which was the lesser evil. Having Bush embroil us in Iraq on the claim of nuclear weapons or Bill Clinton sleeping around and then lying about it? One ill-researched decision based on misinformation affects many countries and various peoples while the other affects a specific family. I love how Bush and the republicans ran on bringing integrity back to Washington D.C. in 2000, and now we have over 10 republican legislators mired in sex scandals including ex- Idaho Senator Larry Craig.
Have a few hours to kill at the airport?
Monday, September 3, 2007
Furies of Calderon, by Jim Butcher [1]
*/***** (1/5)
Codex Alera series
1. Furies of Calderon (1/5)
2. Academ's Fury
3. Cursor's Fury
4. Captain's Fury - Dec '07
...
Best known for his Dresden Files series, author Jim Butcher's foray into epic fantasy begins with the tediously predictable yet irritatingly addictive FURIES OF CALDERON. I found the book mostly epic fluff, but surprisingly unputdownable. The book contains episodic, soap-opera plotting which will inexorably compel me to find out what happens to some of the characters in spite of my overall lack of enjoyment. With names like Gaius Sextus and Legionnaires in the Legion, a Roman inspiration characterizes the book's settings and backdrop. This book firmly belongs to the young woman Amara, her missions under the First Lord and her romance with Bernard.
Some positives to begin with. I liked the magic system: humans command "Fury" elementals incipient in earth, water, air, wood, steel to do their bidding. Some of the elementals lend themselves to naturally restorative functions such as water furies while other elementals exhibit a tendency for destruction such as earth furies. For a fantasy series, Butcher injects the book with a prevalent romantic flavor. Astonishingly, I felt some of the romance here could have been written by pure romance novelists, and it almost seems like Jim Butcher has read some historical romance novels. For instance, Amara's tingling, melting reactions in response to a tall, broad-shouldered, handsome widower. The pacing is fast, and Butcher keeps the action and romance flowing in this 504-page paperback. There's some genuine gray characters and the book thankfully dismisses the black-and-white Good vs. Evil struggle in epic fantasies. In fact, treachery and civil conflict marked much of the climactic battle here with each group and character striving for their own end goals.
Possible SPOILERS ahead.
Now for the negatives which easily overwhelmed the positives. The plotting was entirely formulaic and predictable. There's even a magical river flood akin to the flood in Tolkien's FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING before the companions arrive at Rivendale. The prose was, in general, below average to average. There's an attempt at settings and world building but I've seen better, even in pure romance novels. I hated that our 15 year-old protagonist boy Tavi behaves more like a 7,8 year-old baby often crying and screaming in terror most of the time. If I were a 15 year-old boy, I'd resent anyone calling me a "boy" or "child" at every turn, and I'd definitely avoid any emotional outbursts in public (hugging, crying). Tavi is too much of a do-gooder at 15, I know I found myself in much more mischief at the same age. For a series about a boy's coming-of-age, the first installment FURIES OF CALDERON firmly belongs to our young woman Amara, and her mission as Cursor under the First Lord of the Aleran Kingdom. I really could have done without Amara's romance with Tavi's uncle, the tall, broad-shouldered, strong and handsome Bernard. I found myself begrudging any chapter from Amara's perspective, which comprises a majority of the novel. I don't know, something about her, I just didn't like, and I liked Bernard even less. The entire combination was just... bleh. Butcher mostly employs Amara's perspective in the prolonged climactic finale featuring the battle between the Marat barbarians and the Roman-inspired Alerans at the Garrison in Calderon Valley. The interminable climactic battle was long and pointless! Almost every other chapter, there's the threat of a major death, but unfortunately, you know this type of novel lacks the audacity to kill off a major character. By the end of the novel, with *everyone* surviving for future books, it all seemed sooooo very, very, very vapidly pointless. It's funny, I couldn't take The Major Death in Scott Lynch's RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES, but I was begging for some deaths here, Amara and Bernard most of all. I would have given the book 2 stars if this novel had killed off Amara and Bernard! Most of the protagonists I found aggravating or unlikable. I disliked Tavi, hated Bernard and Amara. I liked Tavi's Aunt Isana (though she sparingly appears), I enjoyed the redoubtable warrior Aldrick's mistress, the water witch Odiana, and I definitely enjoyed our disillusioned antagonist Fidelias. Finally, the magic is egregiously overused. It's a danger of fantasy novels, but magic users here fling their furies at foes and allies alike with impunity and without any limitations. Whenever Amara needs some aid in a pinch, oh let's just call on her wind fury Cirrus to fly her to safety or deliver a lethal blow! Oh someone suffered a fatal wound? Fear not, Isana's water fury Rill to the rescue! It gets seriously out of hand, and you start to question whether death exists for our main characters in Butcher's world at all.
The Story.
Academ Amara wants to graduate the Academy and become a full-fledged spy in the Cursor Legate directly under First Lord Gaius of the Aleran Kingdom. As part of her confirmation from Academ to Cursor, the First Lord dispatches Amara on a mission to investigate a rebel camp and report back the identity of the High Lord(s) behind the insurrection legion. Her plans take a turn for the worse when she's betrayed by her own instructor, her patriserus Fidelias. Amara flees the camp with the assistance of her wind fury Cirrus, and quickly reports back to the First Lord Gaius. The First Lord Gaius, not without resources and power of his own, consequently sends Amara to the Calderon Valley where he senses the inchoate stirrings of doom.
In the Calderon Valley, we have Steadholder Bernard a tall, broad-shouldered widower commanding two powerful furies of his own (earth and wood), his sister Isana a powerful water craft commanding the water fury Rill and finally their 15 year-old nephew Tavi. Customarily, if the person were to command a fury, they would have done so well before Tavi's age, and he rues the absence of a fury of his own, a fact belittling the boy's status in the world of FURIES OF CALDERON.
The story then fragments into sundry pieces, each frantically driving the pacing. In one group we have Fidelias, Aldrick and Odiana, sent by the High Lord Aquitaine, a ruthlessly ambitious man fomenting the insurrection against the First Lord. Bernard and Tavi travel Calderon Valley in search of a flock gone astray. Isana remains at Bernardholt dealing with the inimical steadholder Kord. Finally, you have Amara traveling to Calderon Valley to gather information. Bernard and Tavi encounter the gargantuan Marat barbarians in their search for the flock, barbarians Alerans haven't seen in over 15 years. There appears to be a conspiracy afoot fomenting chaos and confusion. In fact, Fidelias has convinced the barbarian horde to attack Calderon Valley and Clan Herdbane's headman Atsurak leads the charge. Later, Tavi convinces Clan Gargant's headman Doroga and Clan Horse to dissent from Atsurak's complicity with Fidelias.
The story chugs along as characters separate and reunite fairly consistently with the Marat barbarian horde on the move.
The most enjoyable part of the novel definitely involved Tavi and Kitai's quest for the Blessing of Night. Tavi represents the Alerans and Kitai represents Clan Gargant in a competition to retrieve the Blessing (a magical mushroom) from the Valley of Silence amongst the Wax Forest crawling with deadly dog-sized wax spiders. If Tavi wins, Clans Gargant and Horse will withdraw from the Marat horde attacking Alera and help the Alerans instead at the battle taking place at the Garrison in Calderon Valley. This quest portends for Tavi much more than he bargained for though, and the full impact of exactly what he bargained for won't be realized until later novels.
I found the the interminable, incessant conclusion involving the climactic battle between half the Marat horde (Clans Wolf and Herdbane, still 10,000 strong), and the meager Aleran legion defending the Garrison led by Amara, very, very painful and insufferably long. Not to mention that it was glaringly obvious no one was going to die and that Tavi will triumphantly arrive with the Marat Clans Gargant and Horse to help. At the battle scene, Tavi does little else other than flail and run around.
Anyway, I can't believe I want to read the next novel in this series after this poor fantasy effort. I guess Jim Butcher hooked me enough to find out if/when Tavi will ever get his fury, who Tavi's parents are, will we see Tavi's Marat rival Kitai who turns out to be a girl, will Tavi grow out of his crying and screaming, will Amara and Bernard ever die. Episodic? Anecdotal? Fluff? Yep. Yep. And yep.
Codex Alera series
1. Furies of Calderon (1/5)
2. Academ's Fury
3. Cursor's Fury
4. Captain's Fury - Dec '07
...
Best known for his Dresden Files series, author Jim Butcher's foray into epic fantasy begins with the tediously predictable yet irritatingly addictive FURIES OF CALDERON. I found the book mostly epic fluff, but surprisingly unputdownable. The book contains episodic, soap-opera plotting which will inexorably compel me to find out what happens to some of the characters in spite of my overall lack of enjoyment.
Some positives to begin with. I liked the magic system: humans command "Fury" elementals incipient in earth, water, air, wood, steel to do their bidding. Some of the elementals lend themselves to naturally restorative functions such as water furies while other elementals exhibit a tendency for destruction such as earth furies. For a fantasy series, Butcher injects the book with a prevalent romantic flavor. Astonishingly, I felt some of the romance here could have been written by pure romance novelists, and it almost seems like Jim Butcher has read some historical romance novels. For instance, Amara's tingling, melting reactions in response to a tall, broad-shouldered, handsome widower. The pacing is fast, and Butcher keeps the action and romance flowing in this 504-page paperback. There's some genuine gray characters and the book thankfully dismisses the black-and-white Good vs. Evil struggle in epic fantasies. In fact, treachery and civil conflict marked much of the climactic battle here with each group and character striving for their own end goals.
Possible SPOILERS ahead.
Now for the negatives which easily overwhelmed the positives. The plotting was entirely formulaic and predictable. There's even a magical river flood akin to the flood in Tolkien's FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING before the companions arrive at Rivendale. The prose was, in general, below average to average. There's an attempt at settings and world building but I've seen better, even in pure romance novels. I hated that our 15 year-old protagonist boy Tavi behaves more like a 7,8 year-old baby often crying and screaming in terror most of the time. If I were a 15 year-old boy, I'd resent anyone calling me a "boy" or "child" at every turn, and I'd definitely avoid any emotional outbursts in public (hugging, crying). Tavi is too much of a do-gooder at 15, I know I found myself in much more mischief at the same age. For a series about a boy's coming-of-age, the first installment FURIES OF CALDERON firmly belongs to our young woman Amara, and her mission as Cursor under the First Lord of the Aleran Kingdom. I really could have done without Amara's romance with Tavi's uncle, the tall, broad-shouldered, strong and handsome Bernard. I found myself begrudging any chapter from Amara's perspective, which comprises a majority of the novel. I don't know, something about her, I just didn't like, and I liked Bernard even less. The entire combination was just... bleh. Butcher mostly employs Amara's perspective in the prolonged climactic finale featuring the battle between the Marat barbarians and the Roman-inspired Alerans at the Garrison in Calderon Valley. The interminable climactic battle was long and pointless! Almost every other chapter, there's the threat of a major death, but unfortunately, you know this type of novel lacks the audacity to kill off a major character. By the end of the novel, with *everyone* surviving for future books, it all seemed sooooo very, very, very vapidly pointless. It's funny, I couldn't take The Major Death in Scott Lynch's RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES, but I was begging for some deaths here, Amara and Bernard most of all. I would have given the book 2 stars if this novel had killed off Amara and Bernard! Most of the protagonists I found aggravating or unlikable. I disliked Tavi, hated Bernard and Amara. I liked Tavi's Aunt Isana (though she sparingly appears), I enjoyed the redoubtable warrior Aldrick's mistress, the water witch Odiana, and I definitely enjoyed our disillusioned antagonist Fidelias. Finally, the magic is egregiously overused. It's a danger of fantasy novels, but magic users here fling their furies at foes and allies alike with impunity and without any limitations. Whenever Amara needs some aid in a pinch, oh let's just call on her wind fury Cirrus to fly her to safety or deliver a lethal blow! Oh someone suffered a fatal wound? Fear not, Isana's water fury Rill to the rescue! It gets seriously out of hand, and you start to question whether death exists for our main characters in Butcher's world at all.
The Story.
Academ Amara wants to graduate the Academy and become a full-fledged spy in the Cursor Legate directly under First Lord Gaius of the Aleran Kingdom. As part of her confirmation from Academ to Cursor, the First Lord dispatches Amara on a mission to investigate a rebel camp and report back the identity of the High Lord(s) behind the insurrection legion. Her plans take a turn for the worse when she's betrayed by her own instructor, her patriserus Fidelias. Amara flees the camp with the assistance of her wind fury Cirrus, and quickly reports back to the First Lord Gaius. The First Lord Gaius, not without resources and power of his own, consequently sends Amara to the Calderon Valley where he senses the inchoate stirrings of doom.
In the Calderon Valley, we have Steadholder Bernard a tall, broad-shouldered widower commanding two powerful furies of his own (earth and wood), his sister Isana a powerful water craft commanding the water fury Rill and finally their 15 year-old nephew Tavi. Customarily, if the person were to command a fury, they would have done so well before Tavi's age, and he rues the absence of a fury of his own, a fact belittling the boy's status in the world of FURIES OF CALDERON.
The story then fragments into sundry pieces, each frantically driving the pacing. In one group we have Fidelias, Aldrick and Odiana, sent by the High Lord Aquitaine, a ruthlessly ambitious man fomenting the insurrection against the First Lord. Bernard and Tavi travel Calderon Valley in search of a flock gone astray. Isana remains at Bernardholt dealing with the inimical steadholder Kord. Finally, you have Amara traveling to Calderon Valley to gather information. Bernard and Tavi encounter the gargantuan Marat barbarians in their search for the flock, barbarians Alerans haven't seen in over 15 years. There appears to be a conspiracy afoot fomenting chaos and confusion. In fact, Fidelias has convinced the barbarian horde to attack Calderon Valley and Clan Herdbane's headman Atsurak leads the charge. Later, Tavi convinces Clan Gargant's headman Doroga and Clan Horse to dissent from Atsurak's complicity with Fidelias.
The story chugs along as characters separate and reunite fairly consistently with the Marat barbarian horde on the move.
The most enjoyable part of the novel definitely involved Tavi and Kitai's quest for the Blessing of Night. Tavi represents the Alerans and Kitai represents Clan Gargant in a competition to retrieve the Blessing (a magical mushroom) from the Valley of Silence amongst the Wax Forest crawling with deadly dog-sized wax spiders. If Tavi wins, Clans Gargant and Horse will withdraw from the Marat horde attacking Alera and help the Alerans instead at the battle taking place at the Garrison in Calderon Valley. This quest portends for Tavi much more than he bargained for though, and the full impact of exactly what he bargained for won't be realized until later novels.
I found the the interminable, incessant conclusion involving the climactic battle between half the Marat horde (Clans Wolf and Herdbane, still 10,000 strong), and the meager Aleran legion defending the Garrison led by Amara, very, very painful and insufferably long. Not to mention that it was glaringly obvious no one was going to die and that Tavi will triumphantly arrive with the Marat Clans Gargant and Horse to help. At the battle scene, Tavi does little else other than flail and run around.
Anyway, I can't believe I want to read the next novel in this series after this poor fantasy effort. I guess Jim Butcher hooked me enough to find out if/when Tavi will ever get his fury, who Tavi's parents are, will we see Tavi's Marat rival Kitai who turns out to be a girl, will Tavi grow out of his crying and screaming, will Amara and Bernard ever die. Episodic? Anecdotal? Fluff? Yep. Yep. And yep.
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