Friday, December 02, 2005

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susana Clarke

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susana Clarke

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I started this book while waiting for my surgery to begin. I didn't get very far into it, so I haven't really formed an opinion of it yet.

Here's the publishers blurb

"Centuries ago, when magic still existed in England, the greatest magician of them all was the Raven King. A human child brought up by fairies, the Raven King blended fairy wisdom and human reason to create English magic. Now, at the beginning of the nineteenth century, he is barely more than a legend, and England, with its mad King and its dashing poets, no longer believes in practical magic." "Then the reclusive Mr Norrell of Hurtfew Abbey appears and causes the statues of York Cathedral to speak and move. News spreads of the return of magic to England and, persuaded that he must help the government in the war against Napoleon, Mr Norrell goes to London. There he meets a brilliant young magician and takes him as a pupil. Jonathan Strange is charming, rich and arrogant. Together, they dazzle the country with their feats." But the partnership soon turns to rivalry. Mr Norrell has never conquered his lifelong habits of secrecy, while Strange will always be attracted to the wildest, most perilous magic. He becomes fascinated by the shadowy figure of the Raven King, and his heedless pursuit of long-forgotten magic threatens, not only his partnership with Norrell, but everything that he holds dear. "


Thursday, December 01, 2005

A feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin

I finished A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin at about 1:30 last night (this morning?) .

In short, it was the best book that I've ever been dissapointed in. It was well written, and it's got all the tings that Fans love about George R.R. Martin. It's gritty, ground in what to an ignoramous at least, feels like historical research, the magic is subtle and dark, the characters extremely well developed.

One of my pet peeves in books has become when characters do things that no normal person would ever do, make decisions that no one in their right mind would make. And then the book proceeds liek this is normal.

In G.R.R.M. even when characters make decisions that you don' tlike, or don't agree with, you find yourself grudgingly saying "ya, I guess I would have done that too." And the true beauty, the true art, is that this includes the villians. There are a few true "monsters" but most of the villians are human. And the more they are explored the more you see that they are just flawed troubled people. The line between good and bad becomes very blurred. The character called "the Hound" is the best example of this. A viscious brutal killer. He starts as the stereotypical "evil knight". But as we ride along with im in the books, as his story is explored (through the eyes of other characters) you find out where all his hate comes from. And without turning him into some softy (in the TV series Lost, they ruined Sawyers character this way. And I'm afraid that Jordan's Lan is headed this way) you at least understand where all his anger is coming from. You'll never condone the Hounds actions, but you'll kind of understand them. And you won't be able to put him in a good guy/bad guy category anymore.

The books are engaging. With every book so far I've had a hard time with the first chapter, but after that I get swept up in the books (this one included) and end up devouring them.

So I loved the book. I have a hard time recommending this series. I think I'll discuss that in a different post though (See Robert Jordan Vs George R. R. Martin).

I had a few issues with it, not that these take away from the expereince, but here they are none-the-less.

Issue #1 The technology. I know this shouldn't be an issue in a fantasy book, and maybe I'm the only one that would ever be bothered by it. But.... They talk abotu some of te histories going back 10,000 yras, yet in all that time the technology in this world has been stagnant. There is mention of gunpowder, but for as long as it has been around it hasn't been used as a weapon. There is an entire order dedicated to studying the various sciences, but somehow the technology has not progressed at all. I think the idea of a stagnant technology could be interesting, it there was a reason. But in this world it seems like everything has been set up to explode into the next technological phase for the past 10,000 years.

Issue #2 Cycles. In this book especially it feels like nothing has changed. Maybe I've been scarred by the middle books in the Eye of the World series, but these is starting to feel like the same stall. Please please please Mr. Martin do not follow that course.

Issue #3 Investments. One of the series greatest strength thus far has been that you can't get let your gaurd down. Any character is fair game for the removal. Your favorite hero is just as likely to fall prey to gangrene or a political ploy as the hated villian. So I hesitate to call this a weakness. Still, when in this book the character that you spend about a quarter of your time reading aobut dies a seemingly pointless death, it's a little irksome. It's fair, and maybe it's just a fresh wound for me, but it's irksome.

Issue #4 Omissions. At the end of the Book G.R.R.M. speaks frankly with a note from the author that begins "this book was a bitch." I can't tell you how much I admire this. There aren't many authros willing to speak to frankly to their audience. And Mr. Martin, I solute you for that. He admits that half the characters are not touched upon in this book. He tells you the honest reason that he made that choice in this book. And I believe him. But still, over half the characters that you love are missing completely from this novel. At least two of my story lines are completely absent from this book. But promised to appear in the 2006 book. The problem is that the 2006 book will be missing by favorites from this book. And is this a precedent? Will future books be the same? It seems to me to be a conscious decision to do what Robert jordan didn't (where his huge books advance only a month in time, but touch upon nearly every chracter, major or minr, ever introduced). But will this route be any better?

8.5 of 10

About Me

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I'm just a guy... pretty boring over all. Nothing all that special. Frustrated and growing older (I've hit 30, but i think i'm in denial). I work a job, middle management I guess. We are always broke though. Got a wife, and a daughter, love them both more than i've ever found the words to express. I go to church, sometimes. I bike to work, if i get up on time. I like the rain, always. But I have this nagging feeling that there should be more to life than this...