End of Year Book Review 2012

Howdy everyone! 

This year I have read 48 books, 8 more than last year and 2 less than the year before that. This year, unlike previous years, I have already written all my reviews, so now I will be merely attaching the links to the reviews already written. Most of the books are recommends, even strong recommends, but if you want the details, read the review, post a comment, or ask me directly.

Happy New Years!

Books I've Read this Year in Reverse Order (Most Recent First)

The Alloy of Law

Landscape at the End of the Century
The Crown of Embers

Book of a Thousand Days
This Time of Darkness
Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian

Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex

Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony
The Scourge
Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception

Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code

Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident

Artemis Fowl
The High King

Taran Wanderer

The Castle of Llyr

The Black Cauldron

The Book of Three
Summer of the Swans
The Magician

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Interstellar Pig
Rose
The Princess Academy
Railsea
Shadow and Bone

A Monster Calls
The Alchemyst

Insurgent
The Book Thief
City of Bones

The House of Stairs
The Hero of Ages

The Well of Ascension

Mistborn
Number the Stars

The Serpent's Shadow
The Scorpio Races
The Drowned Cities

The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Enchantress From The Stars
Birthmarked
The Wounded Land

Delights & Shadows
Sab

Clockwork Prince

Legend

Reviews: Legend, Clockwork Prince, Birthmarked, & Sab

This is my final review of the year. Later on I'll post a list that shows all the books I've read this year with links to their reviews. All 4 of these books reviewed were read in the first several months of this year.

Legend
Marie Lu

This story takes place in a future where the United States is divided into parts, with western US being called "The Republic." In the republic, the young criminal Day is the most notorious, primarily because he targets the elite. In truth, he is merely trying to save his family. Meanwhile, the young girl June is an upcoming military genius. There paths cross when Day, who has never killed in any of his past crimes, becomes the number #1 suspect for the murder of June's brother.

That's the kick-off to the plot and the book is certainly easy to get into and enjoy. The pacing is quick and the characters are enjoyable to follow. I feel the book is, if anything, a little too short. I wanted more evidence within the book of the intelligence of both of the main characters. Yes we get some snippets of their "genius," but not enough to convince me. Then again, they are both 15 years old. I suppose I felt just slightly let down because I expected a little more depth.

Still, if that sounds critical, it was still a really enjoyable read with plenty of twists and turns. It's the first of a trilogy, but it's enjoyable enough to read on its own. It was good enough to make me want to read the sequel, coming out soon in January. The plot is good, if a little too quickly done, and the characters are interesting and engaging. If you enjoy YA dystopian, this is a good quick novel to read.

Clockwork Prince
Cassandra Clare

This is the second novel in a trilogy, the first one being "Clockwork Angel," which I reviewed in my 2011 End of Year Book Review. The first book I gave ~9.5/10 due to it being the first book of a trilogy when I wasn't sure how the rest of the trilogy would turn out. If this book, "Clockwork Prince" is any indicator, the series is going to be phenomenal. I'm not sure which book is better; right now they're both incredible. Obviously, the final book is yet to come and won't be out until this May, but I'm confident it'll be good.

This book deals with Vampires, Werewolves, Warlocks, and other underworld people set in Victorian England as the Shadowhunters, a group of powerful demon-hunters, seek to prevent a nefarious man from achieving his evil plot.

Perhaps that sounds obscure, but to not give spoilers from the first book, I can't really talk much about the second book. You can get the summary from Amazon.com or something.

One thing I do really love about this book and the series as a whole is the choice of setting it in Victorian England. This creates a different character dynamic and an atmosphere that is really unique in today's YA fiction. The characters are well handled and the plot is engaging and full of twists. If you enjoy fantasy and a little romance I highly recommend this series.

Birthmarked
Caragh O'Brien

This story is about a young midwife girl named Gaia on the outskirts of an enclave in a post-apocalyptic world where resources are limited and most of the world is a wasteland. A certain number of children are collected by the people in the city every month to help the population, but many people question the policy. When her parents are mysteriously taken away and sentenced to death, she decides to take action and slip into the city to see if she can save her parents and perhaps, at the same time, discover who her brothers are in the process. But can she stand up to a corrupt society all on her own?

Looking back, it wasn't that bad of a book. It feels average even though the premise is interesting. It's not often you deal with midwives as protagonists and Gaia is an interesting character. Unfortunately, there were also several elements that were not so great, such as the ease with which she accomplishes certain trials, the over-emphasis of her feelings about the scar on her face, or the lack of believability with certain people and their perspectives / changes. There are definitely some good moments and some other good characters in the book, but overall it felt merely okay. And this is the first book of a trilogy where the rest are out with increasingly disappointing reviews. It's not likely I'll finish it.

It should be noted that, while reading this book, I was busy with schoolwork to the point that I didn't really read the book through from start to finish in a short period of time; it took me over a month, maybe two, and I've noted that my opinion of a book goes down when that happens, even if I would've torn through it under other circumstances. So perhaps it is better than I currently think. That being said, it's hard to recommend the first book in a trilogy when the remaining two don't sound much better. If the plot intrigues you, go for it and maybe you'll like it better than me. I did finish it, which means it was at least worth finishing.

Sab
Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda

Every now and again I read a book for a class that I absolutely love. This is the first book that I have read entirely in Spanish, other than the Book of Mormon in Spanish (El Libro de Mormón), and I loved it.

This book is about the love of a slave, Sab, who is the head steward for a Cuban family in Cuba, for their innocent yet naive daughter as she prepares to marry a man not worthy of her. Some may try to reduce this book to merely an anti-slavery book or a feminist book, but I feel this book is about the human experience. In my class I wrote an essay on the topic of how the idea of sensibility is expressed in the novel - how we are presented human suffering and we are led to be against it.

If you can read Spanish, read this book. There is much to learn here. If not, I hope the translations available do it justice.

Reviews: The Alloy of Law, The Wounded Land, Landscape at the End of the Century, & Delights and Shadows

Two more days to go before the end of the year and I still have 8 more books to review from this year, most being books that I read earlier this year when I wasn't doing immediate reviews.

Hence, today, I shall do 4 of them, probably more quickly than I would normally like.

The Alloy of Law
Brandon Sanderson

This is my last book read this year, finished last night. For those who may have read the "Mistborn" trilogy, this book is set on the same world, but 300 years later. At first I wondered if it would be too similar to those novels, but no, this is a fresh book.

The story centers around a country lawman, Waxillium Ladrian, who returns to the city to inherit his title as one of the city's nobles. Soon he finds that corruption has followed him there, only now he's supposed to leave it to the inept constables. Can he leave his lawman days behind him? or is he the lawman needed now to save the city from a group of bandits called "The Vanishers?"

The story is complex and twisting in its own right, but, as before, one of the elements that makes this novel stand out is the integration of Sanderson's original fantasy ideas into the world in which this story takes place. In this world, there are certain people who can use certain metals for special abilities. Wax is a rare "Twinborn" who can both  "Push" on metal objects as well as make his body lighter and heavier at will. Others also have  abilities and the use of these abilities makes for unique action sequences and clever solutions to difficult problems.

This book is good as a stand-alone novel as well, even if it does end with a strong hint of more to come. I'm also glad that a sequel has been announced because Sanderson is a strong writer and I look forward to reader much more by him.

Overall, I loved the book. If you come to this book expecting it to be exactly like the "Mistborn" trilogy, it's not and it's not meant to be. It helps to have read the previous novels, if only to get a better understanding for the world in which it takes place, but this books explains what it needs to explain and it is still very enjoyable. I recommend it for anyone loving well thought out fantasy that is also thought provoking.

The Wounded Land
Stephen R. Donaldson

I read this book back in February, I believe, or somewhere around there so my recollection won't be perfect on the plot.

This story revolves around two main characters: Thomas Covenant, a mysterious reclusive leper, and Linden Avery, a doctor new in town who doesn't know of Covenant's past, but soon gets mixed up in it. Soon, both are transported to The Land, a world Covenant has visited before, only now it is a bleak and downtrodden place where Covenant must seek a way to right what has gone wrong and return the two of them safely home.

This is a dense book. That's how I describe books that are rich with their vocabulary at the cost of slowing down the narrative. The world is very well built and the plot is terrific, but it takes time to get through because it takes time to understand both the new vocab introduced by the author because of the strange would they are in and also just the vocab that is more difficult.

That being said, this is a very good book with complex characters and complex themes. You worry for the characters and what may happen to them.

This is the 1st book in the 2nd trilogy of Thomas Covenant; I've skipped the 1st trilogy because I was worried whether I would like them or not due to Covenant being less of a hero and more of an anti-hero especially at first. Prior knowledge isn't really required as the previous novels are summed up quickly before the novel starts and is also explained within the novel.

I still need to finish this trilogy, but this book left me wanting to finish it, so that is positive. The only thing that holds me back is knowing that it will take more time than perhaps other books.

Landscape at the End of the Century
Stephen Dunn

This is a poetry book and a very enjoyable one at that. Dunn is a poet that makes poetry accessible and likes to talk about everyday situations. In his poems, he finds insights in seemingly simple things. As a poet, I feel I have a lot to learn from him and I believe I revisited his poetry often.

What more can I say? If you love poetry, give him a try.

Delights and Shadows
Ted Kooser

Another poetry book read earlier this year. Kooser is another down to earth poet who finds inspiration in everyday things and expresses his feelings, thoughts, and viewpoints in ways that are easily accessible. I loved this collection and I hope to learn a lot by reviewing these poems.

Again, what more can I say than this: if you love poetry, read this.

Reviews: Book of a Thousand Days & The Crown of Embers

Book of a Thousand Days
Shannon Hale

Dashi the maid accompanies her lady as she is imprisoned in a tower for 7 years for rejecting a potential marriage. While trying to survive, ration out the food, and comfort her lady, she begins to write in a journal the account of what goes on. While there, two suitors arrive, one kind and the other not at all and Dashti must begin to make decisions in place of her indecisive lady.

This story is based on a fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers and is excellently done. As a reader, you enjoy following and getting to know the character of Dashti and the world through her eyes. The style of writing - that of reading a journal - is interesting yet fitting. It works to draw you in and you feel close to Dashti as you share in her thoughts. The plot is unique and compelling, easily pulling you forward to continue reading. And the overall message of the story, that of sincerity, concern, courage, decisiveness, selflessness, and faith is convincing.

In short, I loved it and, as my sister recommended it to me, so I recommend it to you.

The Crown of Embers
Rae Carson

This is the sequel to "The Girl of Fire and Thorns", which I reviewed earlier this year. It is the middle novel of three which often makes people think of a mid-trilogy slump, but I would say the story continues very well. I can't reveal much of the plot due to it being a sequel, but it is action packed, yet thoughtful as it follows Elisa, the main character as she tries to make the right decisions and be strong at the same time.

The only thing in the book that makes me be cautious about recommending this, and I do this to be honest, is that the discussion of sex out of marriage as possibly an okay thing didn't sit well with me and my beliefs. Nothing bad happens in the book and it isn't a major part of the book, but it's enough to make to worry slightly about the next and final installment. I'll withhold my unreserved recommendation until then, but if you've already started the series and you want more of the same, this is a  book that moves the plot forward in good ways and does not disappoint in that regard.

In short, I liked it, but I'm worried slightly about the trilogy as a whole that it may not be a trilogy I keep after having finished it. Still though, "The Girl of Fire and Thorns," the first book of the trilogy, is a good enough to read on it's own and ends in a satisfying way.

Poetry & Essay: Portrait of a Tragedy

Portrait of a Tragedy

He wakes up again

to the news of children

gunned down by an unknown

man.

He showers like normal

and breakfast is the same cold

you might hear in a voice

today.

Before leaving, he forgets where

he dropped his keys last night,

pats himself down in panic: his sides,

his back pockets, his heart,

but there they are on the table

by the newspaper, splattered

with pictures and inked words

that almost have no meaning.

There’s a photo of a dead man

who looks like anyone.

Next door he hears everything

his neighbors shout

and their infant wails.

On the sidewalk, he watches

as a little girl moans,  

trailing behind her mother’s phone.

He brushes past them

down his road into his routine.

Work will consume me,

he trusts; he prays

it’s only a bad beginning,

a day that feels clouded

even though no clouds cross

the everyday blue,

another day where nothing’s changed,

except suddenly he doesn’t know himself.

------------------------------

Yesterday, we heard in the news of a gunman who went into an elementary school, killed many of the children and some of the teachers and finally himself. Words do not adequately describe how horrible this is from every angle. 

And yet to me, I feel like I have heard the news before. Not the same place, not the same people, but, sadly, there have been many shootings in my time: movie theaters, universities, high schools, open streets, downtown areas, suburban neighborhoods. The gunmen themselves have all been different and I'm not saying that these have been orchestrated by anyone, but nor can I say these are isolated events; there is something in our culture that is rotting away at people. 

Someone, speaking about this particular event, said, and I paraphrase, that this time we need more than sympathy and condolences. But is it laws that we lack? or do we lack moral discipline? do we seek to establish what is good and true and right? or do we proclaim that whatever someone does there is no wrong or right, that truth is relative? Forgive me if this offends you, but the latter way of thinking, that of moral relativity, is one of lies that feeds tragedies like this. This tragedy was not born in a vacuum; the world that we live in, the world that promotes selfishness, pride, greed, egocentricity, lust, casualness, passion over reason, sloth over diligence, and vice over virtue, has contributed to this. And so have we if we support that way of thinking. 

Now is not the time to look outward for blame; now, as always, is the time to look inward and evaluate if our moral standards need to be raised. Change begins first with the self, then to those around us, then to those around them until it spread throughout the world. But if we are unwilling to become better moral people ourselves, then we are part of the rot that leads to the moral decay we saw yesterday and see everyday.

In essence, this event and my thoughts on it is what led to this poem. Where does the man in this poem fit in? Wherever you lead him, I suppose. This poem is meant to be what it says it is: a portrait. But which is the tragedy? Aren't there many tragedies in this poem? I hope this poem and this little essay of sorts make you think and that your own thinking may lead to change for the better.

Reviews: The Scourge & This Time of Darkness

Today I’ll be review two books I’ve read recently: “The Scourge” by A. G. Henley and “This Time of Darkness” by H.M. Hoover, both dystopian novels.

The Scourge

I read this at the recommend of my sister and it was well worth it. The novel is about a blind girl Fenn who lives on the floor of the woods with her village in constant fear of zombie-like people that come every now and again, known as the scourge. They live in delicate balance with the Lofties, another group of people who live up in the trees; each protects and despises the other. Fenn’s blindness, however, is also a sign of her protection against the scourge, allowing her to bring water to her people whenever they have to hide from the scourge, along with her guardian provided by the Lofties, a seemingly kind boy named Peree. Normally the scourge come for several days and then leave again, but this time they are staying longer than before…

The set up is well done and it is intriguing to read a book that is narrated entirely by a blind girl. In one way it feels natural because we as the readers are as blind as she and we have to imagine what our surrounding is like. The characters are well portrayed and you grow to love them over the course of the book.

Another thing I really enjoyed about the book is the fact that it kept surprising me. I’ve read a lot of books and a lot of dystopian books and there are some things that I can usually see coming, but this time I didn’t. For me, that was a pleasure.

The book ends well – it could receive a sequel and probably will, but it also stands alone as a good book, meaning that no matter what happens in any future books, this books is still worth reading. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good dystopian book mixed with a little romance. And it only costs 99 cents for the Kindle too, so it’s a pretty awesome deal.

This Time of Darkness

This book was written in 1980, which makes it one of the earlier dystopian novels for all ages. This was also a recommend from a different sister. Good thing I have such wonderful sisters, eh?

Anyway, this book is about a girl named Amy who lives a boring life in her city where there are no windows, lots of people and poverty, and where standing out is bad. Then she meets a strange boy named Axel who claims to have come from Outside, a mythical place that makes most people believe he’s gone crazy, but Amy wants to believe its true. But even so, how can they escape when they are constantly under surveillance?

There are many dystopian novels out there today that wish they could be as original as this book. Although not everything in this book is as fleshed out as we might wish it, it also doesn’t drag on in way. Its purpose is to show a world gone wrong and it does a terrific job of it. The two main characters are complex and changing and enjoyable to follow. I wish that the book had gone slower in some places and taken time to show us more of the dystopian world, but even so the picture left in the mind of the readers is clear and possible. The book is realistic and it doesn’t feel contrived; not to me at least.

It’s an old book and therefore easy to find cheap online. If you love dystopian novels, I recommend this book to you; it’s well worth it.

Metalwork

Metalwork

We bought 5,000 tons of steel,

here in this eastern town towered with trees

and stacked it to the left

of the warehouse, with no one

who wanted it. Its presence let us tell ourselves

we had something to protect us. At night,

when the moonlight hit it right,

it looked the silhouette of workers

waiting for a new job, eyes watching everything,

and the buyers sold out

a month later. We recognized the signs,

but scraped together some cash and our iron fists.

There’s no metal less pliable

than stubbornness, and we specialized in resistance.

Even with work floors thinning out

and the roof weighing heavier

on our wallets, who would admit it?

The Chinese came like tourists and took

photographs; we didn’t object.

They asked about the brick building abandoned

by the previous company, the one who knew nothing

about metalwork. We had it filled

with workers, once, but then it was closed

and though the rooms were clean and the machines

only a little rusty, within the slow gears

of our minds, we knew what brokenness looked like

and told them not to enter.

-----------------------------------------

Sometimes, oftentimes really, I'll here someone say something or describe an occurrence in their life or in the life of a cold friend and I am moved by a certain wording. I can't always describe why it is, but a phrase or two will stick with me. So it was tonight, hearing a friend of mine whose nephew is a buyer once worked for a company that bought and then sold or used steel (and probably other things too). The first thing that stuck with me was the image of 5,000 tons of steel being bought and stacked next to the building that they were unable to sell. The next thing that stuck out to me was when he said "When the Chinese came and took photographs, they didn't object." Something about that just struck me as a sad image for a factory / company. I'm not well versed in business, but having recently read a poem that used the "we" point of view, I wanted to try it out in this poem to paint a picture that would describe the situation and help us feel it as well. Although I have no idea how similar companies are doing nowadays, the overall struggle for jobs is, I believe, relevant.

So, I hope you enjoyed the poem and as usual, if you have any feedback at all I'd love to hear it.

Epic Review: Artemis Fowl Series (8 books)

I've been meaning to write up this review for a while, but school has bogged me down of late.

Anyway, this series of 8 books is a gem.

I can't say much about the plot of more than the first book without getting into spoilers quickly, but in essence this series is about a child criminal mastermind who attempts to get gain by capturing a fairy and holding it ransom for its gold. He's not all bad; he has his reasons and motivations that come to light over the course of the books. Of course, the Fairies, who are actually a technologically advanced race living further down in the Earth, don't take the capture of one of their own lightly and quickly attempt a a rescue plan. The questions is, can they outwit Artemis Fowl?

Each book in the series gives the feel of a mystery become Fowl and others will hatch plans, but the reader won't be told all the details until later, so you have to attempt to figure out what is happening along the way. Each book gives you clues as the what may end up happening, but even so you as the reader are delighted to see that Artemis really does come up with clever plans. At the same time it is made clear that Artemis isn't infallible; he makes mistakes and pays for them. What's more, the characters in each of these series grow over time until you are really familiar with them and the changes they are working through.

Another quality element to the series is that each book is a self contained story. All you need to know is found within the book, although a greater enjoyment is gotten from reading the series in order. Each book also feels fresh. It's not easy to write two books about the same character and create a different theme and a different situation that includes different perils and unique situations, but the author, Eoin Colfer, manages just that. Only by the middle of the series did I catch on to certain things that the author does repeatedly, but it didn't bother me one bit. I also enjoyed how most characters kept reappearing in new situations; there's only one character I can think of that I thought I would see again, but didn't.

These stories make you laugh; they make you feel; and they make you think. What more can you ask from a book? My only regret is that the series is over. I recommend this series to everyone. They are relatively easy reads that are well worth the time it takes to read them.

Poetry: A Response

It's been awhile since I've posted a poem I've written, but tonight, in the last 45 minutes or so, I wrote a poem that I felt like posting. It's largely inspired by the poem "After Years" by Ted Kooser. I used the style of that poem to start me off and then I made a conscious effort to not write the same poem; I think what I wrote turned out well, but let me know what you think.

A Response

Today, across the street, I heard you

calling for your child and at that moment

a satellite sent a message into space.

The hum of a hive buzzed louder

in its wax cells, signaling the place

where flowers grow, and my grandmother

inked into a small diary the difference

between then, dropping by for a moment

the office where her husband worked

to pick up a paper and a smile, and now,

feeling his presence there when she sorts

through files and collections of books.

I heard the silence that you called

and the dogs barked across the ocean

at cars, bicycles, and boats rushing past

and where it was night, wolves howled

at a reflection of the sun, vivid

and full. A searchlight swept the sky

above the chatter of an old county fair,

an attraction so crowded, it’s easy

to get separated from the ones you love.

A red balloon rose as if from a child

inside my throat and I wanted to say:

I hear you this time. I hear you.

Epic Review: The Chronicles of Prydain

At times we are all Assistant Pig-Keepers.

I decided on this review of 5 books, all the Chronicles of Prydain, that I really didn't know where to begin and so one beginning was as good as another. There is so much good to be said about these 5 books that in order to establish what I am referring to I will start of providing a backdrop for you.

The five books are these:

The Book of Three
The Black Cauldron            - Newbery Honor Award
The Castle of Llyr               - an ALA Notable Book
Taran Wanderer
The High King                    - 1969 Newbery Medal Award

The landscape and much of the lore of the books is based off Wales and Welsh mythology. That being said, that information is interesting, but unimportant to your understanding of the tales.

The story revolves are Taran of Caer Dallben, who in seeking to have some station in life receives the title of Assistant Pig-Keeper. He has a strong desire to do something with his life and be someone special. He wants to be a hero and do heroic things. But through the events of these books he learns that there is much more to being a hero and to life than he had ever before supposed. He is a character that you learn to love as you watch him learn and grow. Rarely if ever do you see as much character arc in novels nowadays as you see in these series. One of my first blogposts on this blog was about this very idea. In each book there is a clear and concise character arc involving Taran and by the end he is one of the most amazing characters that I have come across in literature, in my opinion at least. There is much to admire about an Assistant Pig-Keeper when he learns wisdom.

Accompanying Taran on his many adventures are: Eilonwy, a fiery and spontaneous Princess; Fflewdurr Fflam, a colorful bard; Gurgi, a friendly wolfman; Doli, a seemingly grumpy dwarf; and Prince Gwydion, a wise and talented hero. Many of these characters also learn and grow throughout the series and you grow to love every one of them.

Which brings me to one of my biggest praises for the series: there is no wasted space. If these books were written any other writer, they would be twice the size. There's not a single character who appears only once and is never mentioned again. In fact, the final book, most of the characters from all the books appear at least once for a final time. Each character appears for a reason and in every encounter something new is learned.

Of course, characters alone do not make a story; a story makes a story and this story is excellent. each book is self contained, both in their plots as well as in their central themes. And yet they are all interconnected in their plots as well as their themes. How was that done? By terrific writing. These books are succinct enough to be great on their own and yet the whole is greater than the some of its parts. I recommend reading all of them for the best effect, but any one of them is a great read.

Many books nowadays rely on many explanations to start off a book or establish the setting - none are needed here. Many books rely on cliff-hangers and drawn-out drama to reel you in or have you keep reading - these books neither have them nor need them. Many books feel the need to only tell or only show their meaning - these books do both and leave an impact that is both felt and yet able to put into words.

I loved this series so much that I read them all in under a week and a half. I would've finished them sooner, but life demanded otherwise.

So without further ado, I thought it best to end off by showing you some of the great quotes from each book. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do, though know this: to appreciate them, you must really read the books yourself.

-----------------------------------------------------

The Book of Three

"Every living thing deserves our respect... be it humble or proud, ugly or beautiful."

"It is not given to men to know the ends of their journeys.... It may be that you will never return to the places dearest to you. But how can that matter, if what you must do is here and now?"

"I asked for nothing better than to be at home, and my heart rejoices. But it is a curious feeling. I have returned to the chamber I slept in and found it smaller than I remember. The fields are beautiful, yet not quite as I recall them. And I am troubled, for I wonder now if I am to be a stranger in my own home."

The Black Cauldron

"There is much to be known... and above all much to be loved, be it the turn of the seasons or the shape of a river pebble. Indeed, the more we find to love, the more we add to the measure of our hearts."

"It is easy to judge evil unmixed... But, alas, in most of us the threads are closely woven as the threads on a loom; greater wisdom than mine is needed for the judging."

The Castle of Llyr

"For each of us there comes a time when we must be more than what we are."

"Whether it be Prince or Pig-Keeper... such is the way of a man. The destinies of men are woven one with the other, and you can turn aside from them no more than you can turn aside from your own."

Taran Wanderer

"I am not proud of myself... I may never be again. If I do find pride.I'll find it now in what I was or what I am, but what I may become. Not in my birth, but in myself."

"Life's a forge! .... Yes, and hammer and anvil, too! You'll be roasted, smelted, and pounded, and you'll scarce know what's happening to you. But stand boldly to it! Metal's worthless till it's shaped and tempered!"

"I've heard men complain of doing woman's work, and women complain of doing man's work... but I've never heard the work complain of who did it, so long as it got done."

"Stale water is a poor drink.... Stale skill is worse. And the man who walks in his own footsteps only ends where he began."

"I saw myself.... In the time I watched, I saw strength - and frailty. Pride and vanity, courage and fear. Of wisdom, a little. Of folly, much. Of intentions, many good ones; but many more left undone. In this, alas, I saw myself a man like any other. But this too, I saw.... Alike as men may seem, each is different as flakes of snow, no two the same."

The High King

"Is there worse evil than that which goes in the mask of good?"

"Good cannot come from evil."

"Long ago I yearned to be a hero without knowing, in truth, what a hero was. A grower of turnips or a shaper of clay, a... farmer or a king -  every man is a hero if he strives more for others than for himself alone. Once... you told me that the seeking counts more than the finding. So, too, must the striving count more than the gain."

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Each of these quotes have special meaning to me, both from the books, but also in the way that they apply to my own life. For instance, the last quote rings with me especially because I too as a child yearned to be a hero, as perhaps do many of us. But I wrestled with the question, what does it mean to be a hero? Though I have long since found my own answer to the question, this definition also rings true with me and I love it.

These books are classified as Children's Literature (Grades 5 - 9), but I would urge you to read them no matter your age because there is wisdom to be found therein. And if you have read them before when you were younger, read them again. As we grow up and old and become shaped with experience, old books take on new meaning in our lives. If a book is great at one stage of out lives, perhaps it is even better in another. I hope everyone can read these book; they are truly exceptional.

Review: Summer of the Swans

Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars

This book tells the story of Sara, a 14-year old girl feeling miserable on her summer vacation and trying to figure out what's most important to her, and her brother Charlie who is mentally retarded. They live with their sister Wanda and their Aunt Willie in a small town. Sara takes Charlie to see the swans that have just come to the lake and he is so fascinated by them that, in the middle of the night, he tries to find his way back to them and ends up getting lost. The next day, everyone, including Sara, sets to to try to find him.

This is a very short story so that synopsis doesn't really do the book justice. The reason, I believe, that it won the Newbery Medal Award, is because it takes an honest look at a period that many young teenagers go through - discontent and confusion about themselves and others - and then seeks to resolve those conflicting emotions. At the same time, it also takes an honest look at what it would be like to have a mentally handicapped child in the family.  The story switches constantly between the perspectives of both Sara and Charlie, attempting to give us a view of what Charlie might be thinking as well.

This book is a really good book especially for the target audience (Late Elementary - Early Middle School) because I believe that it would touch them for good at an important part of their lives. I still like "Enchantress of the Stars" better (which won a Newbery Honors Award that exact same year), but that is that is like comparing two high-class meals - both are good and nourishing. I recommend this to anyone, but especially someone with children near that age (younger is good too), or the children themselves.

Reviews: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detive Agency, The Magician

Note: These are two separate books. I finished one last weekend and started and finished the other book the next day.

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams

I’m sure many of you have heard of Douglas Adams from “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe.” The same witty yet humor fills this book as well as the insights into character and commentary on the way we live our lives.

It’s hard to etch out a rough plot synopsis, but I’ll attempt it. Okay, never mind, I tried to in my head and failed. The main character is Richard though you don’t get to him until chapter 4. There are many interconnected characters including a miserable ghost, a time-traveler, a cellist, an electric monk, and, of course, the detective, Dirk Gently who seeks to uncover the interconnectedness of all things as he works through a case. There is a plot, I swear, but it is hard to explain. Ever the book cover doesn’t actually attempt to explain the plot, it just says that the book is a “ghost-horror-detective-time travel-romantic comedy epic,” which makes some sort of sense, and then goes on to describe Dirk, who doesn’t show up for the initial fifth of the book or so.

All that being said, it’s a terrific book. You have to enjoy the type of humor that shows up in his other series, that is to say a very intelligent humor sometimes discussing scientific things such as Schrodinger’s Cat, to name an example. It’s the type of humor where you laugh because you weren’t really expecting it to happen. And the characters themselves all have little oddities that make them both familiar to us and endearing.

The narration is that of a 3^rd person omniscient and, because it switches from one person to the next it takes several chapters for the reader to understand the interconnectedness of it all, but once you do, it’s worth it.

This book is probably not everyone’s cup of tea, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and, if my descriptions sound good to you, then you probably will too.

The Magician by Michael Scott

I reviewed a little while the first book of this series, The Alchemist.

This book picks up right where the last book ended in Paris. Why? How? You’ll have to read the first book. This book, like the last, attempts to bring the many mythologies of the world into one and also includes many famous people from history as players in a modern tale where the main characters, Josh and Sophie Newman, seemingly the twins of Legend, are being led around by Nicholas Flamel to be trained even while their many enemies seek to capture or destroy them. New historical or mythological characters included in this book include Niccolò Macchiavelli, Comte Saint-Germain, Joan of Arc, the Valkyrie, Nidhogg, and Mars.

It may seem like a stretch to bring all these characters together in one cohesive plot, but so far Michael Scott has done it. This book, I would say, seemed stronger than the first, perhaps because at this point in time as a reader I have a better understanding of how the world that Michael Scott has created works, and especially the magic. When it appears that the writer doesn’t have to follow any laws, the story becomes weaker in my opinion. There are still many things in a series like this where I have to suspend my disbelief that, but slowly it is at least becoming apparent that there are some rules that he is following even if we as readers don’t know them all.

Anyway, it’s a strong 2^nd novel in a 6 book series. When a book is in a series, I really have to recommend the series as a whole or not at all, but all the reviews I’ve read point to this being a strong series (and they’re all out). Anyway, so far the series is a recommend and I’ll keep anyone who wants to know posted as I read through the rest of them.

Review: Enchantress from the Stars

I have read this book at least 5 or 6 times, I imagine. I'll probably continue to read it every year or every other year for a long time as it is one of my favorite books of all time. It is a Newbery Honor Award from 1971, coming out the same year as "Summer of the Swans" (which won the Newbery Medal and had better be a very good book).

The storyline, as taken from my End of Year Book Review 2010: Elena is a girl who sneaks along with her father’s mission to save a less-advanced planet from being taken over or knocked off their natural course of progression by a different human space-faring civilization (i.e. there are three different human civilizations). Soon however, Elena is forced to play a key role, one that she isn’t fully prepared for.

This is a low sci-fi/fantasy story that is easily accesible to all. The story is told from three different narrators who give insights into their own groups; each viewpoint is very well thought out and compelling. The story is a bittersweet coming of age story makes you think and feel. This is one of those books that changes your perspective both on history and the universe.

Now, all I'm going to do is list some good quotes from the book just to whet your appetite:

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“The human mind is incredible. It can do nothing without belief, yet practically anything with it."

“People who love each other can no more keep from communicating than from breathing. "

“If nobody believed anything except what they understood, how limited we'd be.”

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I hope everyone could read this book and truly appreciate it.

Reviews: The Drowned Cities & The Girl of Fire and Thorns

The Drowned Cities by Paulo Bacigalupi

The Drowned Cities takes a look at a future America that is full of warring factions, oil and metal crisises, disastrous effects of global warming, and poverty. This is actually a parallel novel of sorts to the book Shipbreaker, though whether it takes place before or after I'm not sure. A the gist of the story is this: Mahlia and her friend Mouse, both refugees that have stuck up for each other for a long time, discover Tool, a bioengineered war beast that is being hunted by an army. Because of this, they get separated and Mahlia seeks to get Mouse back. The book shifts views between Mahlia, Mouse, Tool, and also Ocho, one of the sergeants in the army.

Having read Shipbreaker, also by Bacigalupi, I was already familiar with the world in which this novel is set. This novel continues to prove that the dystopian world that the author has created is well thought out. I've read many dystopian novels that don't have a clear world sense of how the dystopian came to be, where it's at on a global scale, and where it is going, but such is not the case for The Drowned Cities. The world is a frightening place to live in, but it is also realistic enough to make you think about how it applies to the world today. If a dystopian doesn't do that, it isn't worth writing (in my opinion).

This book, as the previous, appears to be a stand alone novel; there could be more, but the major conflict of the main characters within the novel is resolved. The ending, somehow, leaves you hopeful for the future even amidst all the sadness and disparity. A strong heroine is presented us and she grows throughout the novel in a satisfying character arc through her interaction with the half-man Tool, who has his own character arc as well.

Overall, this book was a fantastic look both into a well thought out dystopian world and a group of well thought out characters who have to deal with that world. We could learn a lot from such characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the dystopian genre of books and enjoys thinking about the nature of men when put in extreme situations.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

The main character is Elisa, a princess is supposed to be destined for greatness but is full of doubts and worries. She feels inadequate to the people around her and more so now that she is married off to become the secret wife of a king in a far-off kingdom. The kingdom is in turmoil and she must quickly learn whose side to take and what her role is, that is if she doesn't die first as most of the chosen do.

Almost from the get-go, this book reminded me of Robin McKinley's two novels "The Blue Sword" and "The Hero and the Crown."

Similar to those novels, this novel contains a strong heroine, a desert country in conflict with a mysterious and feared group from the north, political trouble, romance, strange magic, and well thought out character arcs. I note these comparisons only because I found it interesting, but in no way does the author seek to copy any other book, so far as I could tell. (But if you have read those books by McKinley and enjoyed them I am certain you will enjoy this.) Each element of the book was strong, although there are some surprises along the way.

This book is part of a trilogy or a larger series. That being said, this book begins and ends in such a way that you feel satisfied at the end. The major conflict of the novel is resolved within the novel. Naturally, there is enough left to have sequels, but I'm glad when a writer is talented enough to contain a story within one book, even if there is a larger story afoot as well.

Another note of interest in the book is the use of Spanish; you don't have to know Spanish at all to enjoy the book, but elements from Spanish are used in regards to naming within the novel and the "ancient language" within the world (referred to as "la Lengua Clásica"). In my own personal experience, I found that a knowledge of Spanish led to a deeper appreciation of the novel and it helped me to pronounce both the locations and the names of individuals in such a way that raised the experience of the story. This fact speaks to the ability of languages to intertwine to a unique and special effect.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I look forward to the next book in the series, which, in fact, just came out.

Review: The Scorpio Races

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I want to review this book on its own, mainly because I feel like reading it again right now. I won't read it now because I've got other books I need to read, but next year I won't hold back. I try to limit myself to only reading the same book once in a year, though sometimes I break that rule.

I would consider this a low-fantasy book meaning that it takes place in the real world with a few key fantastical elements, or in the case of this book, one: water horses. I believe this comes from celtic or scottish mythology, the capaill uisce (as it is in the book (CAPple ISHka)) or cabyll-ushtey. In this story, on this one island the capaill uisce hang around the island and, though generally sticking to the ocean, occasionally come on land. They are stronger and more powerful than normal horses, but also carnivorous and dangerous. That being said, for sport people decided to have races involving the capaill uisce, breeded for running, and riders trained specifically to ride them. These races are called the Scorpio Races

This book is memorable because of the strong characters of Puck Connolly, the first girl ever to participate in the races and participating because of family circumstances, and Sean Kendrick, the taciturn returning champion who loves the horses and keeps to himself. Both of these characters have their own stories, desires, and drives. Their interactions with the various people on the small island are complex and complicated. And they both change a lot over the course of the story. This book is told with chapters alternating between his and her perspectives to give a wider view of the history and tradition surrounding the Scorpio Races and the culture of the island in general. Every bit of it is fascinating.

Many important themes are explored in this book such as family, non-human relationships (specifically between humans and horses), gender-discrimination, poverty, courage, sacrifice and more.

If you're reading the book for romance, you'll find it slow perhaps, but there are many things going on in this book that are also important if not more important. I loved this book a lot. I highly recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind a slight element of mythology thrown into the real world. In the end, they are important and yet not important; it is the island that revolves around them and these races that really matter.

Dang, now I want to read it again...

Reviews: Number the Stars & The Serpent's Shadow

Here’s two more book reviews of books I read earlier on this year. They’re an odd pairing to put together, but so it goes sometimes. Both wonderful books.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Oftentimes, Holocaust books show us what went wrong and how horrible it was. Which it was. But also important is to show what good people did to help fight the great evil of it, and that is what is shown in this book in a clear way that children and adults can understand.

This story takes place in Denmark, already occupied by the Nazis, and it is told from the perspective of Annemarie, a young Danish girl whose best friend is Jewish and how Annemarie’s family does their best to save her friend and the friend’s family.

The book is based on true events; the Danish successfully smuggled many Jews over into Sweden in similar ways to which it is done in the book. That in and of itself is fascinating. But the strength of the book lies in the character of Annemarie and the example she sets of courage in the face of real danger. The truth of life is that what’s easy and what’s right rarely match up and every time they don’t it requires courage to stand against what’s wrong.

As usual for a Newbery Medal Award winner, such as this book (it is a winner), this story should be read by everyone. In addition to the moral lessons learned, there is history to be discovered and characters to understand. I give this book a high recommend. It is short and easy to read and worth every page.

The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan

To those unfamiliar with Riordan’s more recent books, such as the Percy Jackson series, his books are full of modern culture references that draw in the kids, while covering enough history and mythology to draw in adults. That’s the way I see it anyway.

This book is the final book of “The Kane Chronicles,” similar to the Percy Jackson series in that it asks the question: “What if old mythology was real and active in the modern world?” It’s a question full of possibilities and very interesting to delve into because it allows for both the teaching of old mythology and the showing of how old mythology is still present in the modern world. For instance, did you know that Obelisks such as the one at the Washington Monument, stem from the belief system of the ancient Egyptians?

So because this is the final book of a trilogy, it’d be hard to give you more of a summary than a short version of what’s given on the book cover: Carter and Sadie Kane, brother and sister, are modern Egyptian magicians and are trying to restore Ma’at, or order, in the world, but as things stand chaos is heavily at work and magicians are divided in what they should do. And what’s worse, Apophis, the epitome of Chaos, is set to emerge and destroy the world in 3 days if they don’t do anything about it.

This is an excellent conclusion to the trilogy. If you enjoy Rick Riordan’s style of storytelling you will find exactly that right here. It’s entertaining, funny, and at the same time well thought out and filled with interesting characters, especially the main two who have their own struggles and changes over the course of the series. This is a definite recommend to those who enjoy mythology and enjoy following pop culture, or at least don’t mind it in a novel. This isn’t your literary deep-meaning type book, but it is thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless.

Diurnal Motion, Retrograde Motion

Diurnal Motion, Retrograde Motion

What I know, I know from watching.

Where the Sun rises from its grave like a ghost,
there is East.
Where the Sun lays its head like a newborn babe,
there is West.

There is a stoic star that won’t be budged,
not by days or nights coaxing it,
or seasons begging it to change with them,
or years growing wrinkled and wise, saying turn, turn.
there is north and away is south, unmoving.

When the full moon swings highest among the stars like a child’s kite,
I should be sleeping. That is midnight.
And when it sets, that is morning.

The old men of greece were also observers
and they noticed the way planets paused on their eastward journey,
to travel a few months with the westward crowd,
perhaps picking up a lost shoe, or exchanging tales,
and then resuming their path again,
lonely, but without a hint of looking back.

Once, I drove back south to the home of my childhood,
five hours in an empty car, listening to the motor hum
and singing while the moon set, first-quarter.

The house I played in as a child was occupied with others.
The concrete bridges I used to cross had been replaced.
A friend of mine was working three jobs,
and another friend got married.
I was there at the wedding, watching.

But I didn’t belong there anymore.
The whole city had gone to a place I couldn’t follow
and what was lost to me could no longer be found here.
I smiled and spoke with everyone, and then I left,
five hours with the moon flying behind me,
heading north, the Sun setting on my left
and on my right, sitting in silence beside me,
the ghost of where I used to be.

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Every now and again I get to incorporate astronomy into my poetry. This poem started off because I'm writing, or aiming to write, a poem every day this month and today I looked outside and notice that it was a first-quarter moon tonight and how I knew, therefore, that it had risen at noon and that's why it was so high up around 6pm. So I started off the poem with that and just started listing things I knew from observing in astronomy, and then the poem took its own turn that to felt connected and somehow wrapped up everything very nicely at the end, complete with an envelope technique (where something at the beginning also appears at the end.

For those of you who wish to know, diurnal motion means the apparent daily westward motion of celestial objects (caused by the Earth spinning eastward). It's what we see on a day to day basis. That being said, objects in our Solar System also have other motion throughout the year (for instance the planets slowly move eastward night after night, except for when retrograde motion occurs, which is the apparent westward motion of a planet through the sky after during the course of several months).

Review: Interstellar Pig

Interstellar Pig by William Sleator

Without a recommend from my sister, who's recommendations I treasure, I might not have picked up this book; the title sounds kind of crazy, right? But the book is wonderful. First she had me read "House of Stairs" (See review) by the same author, now this, and I'm glad I did.

This book is about a kid named Barney who is having a boring vacation when 3 strange perfect-seeming neighbors move in next door with an odd obsession with a game called "Interstellar Pig." But the more time he spends with them, he begins to wonder if there might be more to his neighbors and if their game is really just a game.

This book is well thought out from the start with all the details being important in some way. The intrigue of discovering exactly what is happening draws you on as the reader, but also watching the character development of the character of Barney over the course of the story. The contrast of him against the other characters is revealing. And then, of course, the whole idea of the book makes you think. This book isn't quite as good as "House of Stairs," but I can still recommend it as a book you won't soon forget.

As a side note, I think that's something interesting about smaller books (this is under 200 pages), they can still have as much or more of an impact than many books much longer than them. It reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite books of all time "The Phantom Tollbooth": "people use as many words as they can and think themselves very wise for doing so.... always remember that while it is wrong to use too few, it is often far worse to use too many."

Sunday Ritual

Sunday Ritual

Because my backyard isn’t mine

but shared with neighbors never home,

I must remember to go

down Sunday nights.

It was there on the gravel drive,

returning from a rocky week,

I found the trash cans lounging,

mouths stuffed with food.

How long had this been left rotting?

Neighboring windows were always dark

on the weekends, off drinking

until morning

and if I didn’t roll these bins

the heavy walk to the curbside,

ignoring the stench and the flies,

who would take them?

Long before, I met a kind man out front

playing catch with his wife and son

and I approached to greet them.

He welcomed me to the old apartments

even as they were preparing

to move out in a few days.

It is months now that their rooms have been filled.

Cigarette butts and brown boxes

are tossed from the balcony down

near the garbage in an ungathered pile,

remnants of people moving in.

Or perhaps moving through.

That one night, I dragged both bins

and since made the trip ritual

and I remember what’s gone

and what’s here I try to forget.

The pile curls like a beggar

around the empty containers

every week, pleading with me:

who lives in the darkness next door?

The pile seems to burn beneath

the cone of the orange street lamp,

but won’t budge unless I come down

Sunday, humble Sunday.

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As I write through the month of September, most of the poems I write for the day (since I'm writing a poem per day) need more work before I'd post them on my blog, but every now and again I come across one that just enjoy. This poem could probably use plenty of work (like I think I could have a much better title). But I enjoy it even as it is. To write this poem, I stole the structure from a poem by Li-Young Lee called "Visions and Interpretations." I've always been told that good poets steal, not borrow, so I try to do that every now and again. After that, I took a couple of personal experiences and used the truth of those experience to craft the poem. I say it that way because not everything in this poem is true, but because the truth is more complicated and essentially irrelevant. For instance, I've exaggerate the trash - there was never rotting food hanging out of it. But it is true that I'm the only one who moves the bins each week. It is not true that the man and the family have moved out. The truth is they live in a building that is attached to mine and they deal with their building's garbage bins. It is also true that he did it once for our building before I arrived. Good man. Finally, it is true that there is a pile of move-in boxes around the trash containers that has been there fore weeks after the new people arrived. It irks me that they won't deal with their own recycling, so last week, Sunday evening, their lights were on and I knocked to offer my help in moving the boxes to the curb, but they never answered the door and I didn't move the boxes. I feel I should've just moved the boxes, so next recycling time I'm just going to suck it up and move the pile of boxes. And, of course, it will be a Sunday evening.

Review: Rose

Rose by Li-Young Lee

I read lots of fiction, but I also read poetry. This is a book of poetry that I bought back around 8th grade, give or take, as part of my summer reading. I had to choose between two books of poetry, read it, and write about it. Back then, I still liked poetry and thought myself a poet, but my ability with understanding it and enjoying something from each poem was a lot less. Years passed; Li-Young Lee visited out school and talked to us about poetry and suddenly I became a lot more interested in his poetry and I started find more of his poems online and I have loved many and memorized some. That being said, it has taken me until now to actually re-read this volume of his poetry.

This time around, I am a lot more appreciative of his language and ability to convey emotion. I still don't understand all his poems, but I understand more what is going on and some of the major themes he deals with, like trying to resolve his feelings about his father who has passed on.

Obviously, many of you who are reading this are probably not big poetry fans like I am, but if you enjoy poetry, this volume by Li-Young Lee is very good and the overall feel of the volume leaves you satisfied and knowing more than you knew before. If you don't enjoy poetry, I'd probably tell you to just go online and find a couple poems by Li-Young Lee, but the book might not be for you.

Review: Princess Academy

Many of you are probably laughing right now. What!? A guy reading a book that deals with princesses and has princess in the title? Of course, there have been books like "The Princess Bride" that have captured widespread audiences, but this isn't the type of action book to elicit that. It is, however, a Newbery Honor book, an award given to books that contribute great things to children's literature. I have a personal goal to read all the Newbery Medal books and as many of the Honors as I can because I believe that the values promoted to children should also be promoted to adults. If children need it growing up, we could probably use a reminder now.

And let's just say I'm enough in touch with my feminine side to enjoy a story about girls wanting to be princesses, and manly enough to not care what others think about it.

Anyway, to give a rough synopsis of this book, Miri is a girl living on Mount Eskel, a remote and poor territory of the kingdom where they mine linder from a quarry to make a meager living. She struggles with wanting to work at the quarry along with the other girls, but her dad won't let her. She feels  like an outcast. This year, however, the chief delegate of the kingdom arrives and makes a surprise announcement: it has been foreseen that the next princess will come from Mount Eskel and so, in order to prepare, a princess academy will be formed in order to instruct the eligible girls and prepare them to meet the prince.

What we find in this book is an encouragement towards education, understanding, and sticking up for others. We find girls who start off in competition learning to get along. We find courage, creativity, and empathy. I'd say this book is primarily character driven with Miri at the center of it all. She really is an admirable character and she learns many things along the way.

There's a tiny bit of fantasy mixed in with the plot, but not so much as to get in anyone's way. The majority of the occurrences are events that could still happen to our children as they're growing up, or children elsewhere in the world who come from more impoverished backgrounds.

So are there some things are are probably geared more towards a girl audience? Perhaps, but other than the idea of a princess, most of this book is applicable to all who read it. We all have dreams that we would do anything to achieve and awakenings along the way.

This is a really good book I recommend it to all, regardless of age or gender. You can make fun of me for reading this book if you want, but first, read it yourself.

P.S.

Other Newbery Honors that I've read:
Hatchet
The Blue Sword
Enchantress from the Stars
The Black Cauldron
My Side of the Mountain
Charlotte's Web

Newbery Winners I've read:
Holes
The Giver
Number the Stars
The Hero and the Crown
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
A Wrinkle In Time

Who can argue with the awesomeness of these books?

Where It Rains

This month of September, a friend of mine and I have decided again to write a poem a day. As with last time, I'll only be posting here the one's a particularly like, but I though you, mysterious reader, might want to know anyway what I'm up to. Please tell me what you think.

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Where It Rains

Beside ruminating car wheels in a splash

into a crowd of puddles, abashed, shaking,

under a shadow of telephone wire, lining

the road I’m walking, hood down, umbrella closed,

next to a cracked parking lot and a rusted truck

that hasn’t budged in weeks,

                                                within the deep

mouth of trees, whimpering as it brushes

against the wind and straggling strangers,

it’s still raining.             Drop by drop

off a drying dog, from the wet whiskers of a beggar

stolid with his soaked cardboard sign at a stoplight,

I can hear its chattering teeth.

                                                I see it spit out of gutters

with sickness, contempt, and a loss for words.

It’s still raining

                         where clothes grip the skin

like frightened hands, and rags of waterfalls, miserable

thin trickles, slide to the bottom of an iron railing.

It’s wet and the strength of the silver fortress sky,

stemming what has fallen for days and what will continue

to fall in hours if not minutes or seconds, is a lie

and I’m one more drop of water stumbling through

the afternoon, down the damp sidewalks of the world.