On the Shelf

Recently I've fallen in love with a book completely out of my 'comfort zone'. It isn't fiction, psychology, magic, or animal. It's a memoir.

It's a book called Angela's Ashes. It is simple in writing and diction, plain in descriptive verbs, and doesn't use proper quotation marks. But it is absolutely beautiful. The writer is writing about his life, and not only is it a doorway to the harsh realities of life we like to forget, but it demands attention, sympathy, and second look. Frank McCourt doesn't write as if he wants the pity and praise from the destructive childhood he recalls, he hardly writes as if he's thinking back at all. The writing is as young as his character. Everyone is referred to as Aunt or Uncle; he calls his Mam and Dad by the names he knew as a four year old. It's a touching story where the world is dark and real, where the bottom of civilization is truly the bottom. Like Frank McCourt wrote, it's hard enough being a child but to be an Irish child is harder, not to mention Catholic. The verisimilitude compels you to read on and cry for this family torn by poverty and bad decisions. Not every character is lovable, not every character is admirable, and no one is completely without fault (except baby Margaret, but she's hardly old enough to cause trouble). I highly recommend this story for a nice switch into something real and substantial.
Other things I have read this week include The Mist by Stephen King. This horror story was lovely, bringing together a melting pot of drama, suspense, and morbid curiosity. It makes an impossible situation impossibly real. The dissent into chaos as the once careful order is overthrown and a hierarchy of madness preaching the worlds destruction at the hands of God, caries a truth that any student of entropy would understand. What would happen if we let fear descend us into our most basic thoughts and desires?
On a much happier note:

Kittens. Because everyone loves kittens.

Come on, you know they're cute.


Feel better? Good, because I have one more thing.
Honorable Mention of the Week: Doctor Who?
This show is amazing. British television has changed my life forever. This convoluted series of mishap and mayhem has entrapped many a fangirl into it's time-lord claws. The premise is impossible, the solutions unthinkable, and the characters unbelievable... in a good way. You don't have to think at all with this show because you're not supposed to. You have no idea what the rules are, how the Aliens work, or where you''ll end up next episode. It's a story you would have loved as a kid. It's a story that brings out your inner kid. You'll find yourself dreaming of bigger things again and wishing on shooting stars and all other manners of childish whimsy because this was what most of us dreamed of. Setting off with a mysterious stranger into the depths of time and space, saving lives and watching history pass right in front of your eyes. The Doctor will take you and his companion in his legendary TARDIS and you won't want to ever stop.

A Little Love in Your Cooking.

Love - The best ingredient

I've recently read an article on a Korean man's attempt to make a childhood memory in his wok. While the recipe he comes up with is amazing itself (I might even make it myself), the thought behind it is the best part. The man tries so hard just to rebuild and remember his childhood, taking the time to build and recreate a dish from his past. The careful step-by-step planning this man uses when preparing his Jjajangmyeon is an example of the love he has for this dish, this childhood memory. The article wasn't profound, spending most of the page with a recipe and a theory as to why Jjajangmyeon is best made by Chinese-Korean immigrants, but the idea plants a tree of thoughts about my own memories and how things have changed from when I was young.

The memories I can recall the most are those of my first love, Pokemon. I can still remember holding the clunky, over-sized GameBoy and pacing my room, carefully planning the abilities and strengths of my new best friends. Each badge was a Medal of Honor, each Pokemon was my friend, and if all else failed the simple act of hugging that ancient gaming system was enough to make me smile for the rest of the day. Now the game is different. What was once 151 Pokemon is now 649. What was once one region is now 5. The game system has gone on a major computing diet and lost weight. My childhood game has not decreased in value, only changed. This change was inevitable. I only wish I could live those memories again. I still play the original games, and on occasion I hug and smile like my 5 year old self. I guess some things never change.

So I guess I'll add a recipe of my own; try it at your own risk.
~ 1 Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow/Green
~ 1 Nintendo GameBoy Advance/Sp/Color
~ Multiple hours of free time.
~ A candy bar (Admit it, you loved sweets as a child)
~ Stuffed Animals

1. Put game in Nintendo product of choice.
2. Surround yourself with Stuffed Animals
3. Turn game on
4. Unwrap candy bar
5. Eat and enjoy!

On the Shelf

I've finally finished SHADOWCRY, and for sake of time and spoilers I'll sum it up in one word. Eh.
The plot wasn't riveting, the characters were bland and formed no real relationships, the story would branch off just for it to reach a dead end three pages later. The whole of the story was predictable as well. There was no real moment where I was stunned by something, anything! It reminded me of nothing and made me feel nothing. It was just eh.
So next on my list is a collection of Stephen King vignettes in The Skeleton Crew. I've been anxious to read some of his work. I've heard it is similar to some of my writings. I really am looking forward to reading classic stories such as The Mist.
Also on my list for reading is Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, a story about magicians who don't preform magic. An interesting premise that I hope I enjoy much more than the last magic book I read.
IN OTHER NEWS: I've been watching the Big Bang Theory recently and I absolutely love it. The humor is right up my alley (I've taken a physics course) and yet it is also at an intelligence level where you don't have to be a physics geek to laugh. The mixture between genius and childish immaturity make main-character Sheldon Cooper someone adorable and frustrating at the same time. Definitely an inspired character.

I haven't been spending my days just watching television and reading books. I've also been playing Oblivion and Skyrim. Obviously I could go on for hours as to why I would recommend the Elder scroll series for any Role-player, so I'll just tell you it's awesome and worth any effort you have to exude to obtain a copy.
Honorable Mention of the Week: Homestuck
This an odd little internet blip I found awhile ago that I thought I'd share. Honestly, it's pure crazy. Aliens, alternate dimensions, an evil backing company, transporting computer games, arm-less sprites, and the author's broken forth wall make this a story you won't understand but you'll love anyway. The logic is skewed, the art is all done on mspaint and it even has it's own soundtrack for the long animated scenes. Yes, it's a picture book and a movie all in one. I highly recommend it as something to read and relax too. The only downside is the length of the story. It's over 2000 pages long (and counting) and each only has a sentence or two on average, but there are some length dialogue bits that I glance over for lack of time. Overall it seems like something from the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. It's worth every confusing second.

Relationship issues...

144 pages into SHADOWCRY and I'm wondering if it's just me or the entirety of the Young Adult section. Something isn't agreeing with me. The book isn't bad per say, just typical. It starts with an orphan and leads to magical death powers. I think Harry Potter already covered the magical orphan thing.

I think the Young Adult section and I need to sit down and discuss our issues. This relationship obviously isn't working right. I was willing to forgive the genre for horrendous pieces like Twilight and Maximum Ride, but when everything else is just sub par I can't overlook the overall depressing situation. The standards for what is a well written and original has slipped, probably because of the profit gained from typical romantic dramas. I wish people cared about what was out in the real world, literature-wise.

I guess it's not all bad. I distinctly remember enjoying the RedWall series despite it long drawn out plot. These books might just be better as stories that make you feel good, not necessarily to mentally stimulate you. If so, there not exactly the riveting novel I'm looking for, but they have promise as stories of their own. In their own way, they have achieved their purpose.

The official review on SHADOWCRY won't be out until I finish the story, but I feel a little bit more confident about it now. A clean mind might be just what I needed to enjoy it.

Beginnings

Blog. B-L-O-G. A strange word when you think about it. What can you do on a blog? What do you write? Who even has a blog? Well, John Watson has a Blog, but I don't think I'll be able to write about exciting chases down alleyways, long days at the surgery, or an uncontrollable flatmate.

So what will I do? This blog will be a story book. A digital story book. Laughter and sorrow will both house themselves within the confines of a laptop cover. I'll write about books I've read, their stories, and if I'd recommend it to others. I'll write short stories myself and let them collect dust on this blog's shelf. I'll write, and I'll hope someone will read.

My goal is to find a book that truly defies the mold that most "pop genre" books have fallen into. I want to find that holy grail, some story that holds a perfect blend of plot, characters, and setting. If I have to read every book in every genre to find this questing beast of books, I will. It will be my quest, my plot. This will be a basis for my blog story.

So who is the hero in this quest for the holy story? As a reader, I am quick but shallow. I only go as deep as my interest lies. I do not search for the hidden allusions or alliterations. I simply take it in as a tale that someone out there wishes to communicate to me. Maybe that makes me fall short as a reviewer. Maybe that brings me closer to my goal.

So shall I start? Shall I begin? I invite you to join me on my quest, to become my companion. Let's travel to distant lands, parallel worlds, the past and the future. We'll enjoy the music of the Jazz age, preform magic with wizards, solve crimes with sociopaths. We'll see it all and still be home for dinner. Let's take that first step. Now is always the best time for beginnings.