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.

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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...