Literary Brooding

The Heir of the Night - Helen Lowe Paperback, 452 pages, Published January 1st 2012 by Orbit I had initially picked up the second book in the series and it has taken me some time to find the first book. I was surprised by this book as it is a rich fantasy novel with a detailed world and on the whole well realised characters.  I was swept easily into this tale and it held my interest. Where I struggled with the novel was that too much detail and too much background information that really bogged the story down.  The information that you are given is useful but was it really necessary? I mean there is so much of it. The characters are not bad but because they spend so much time explaining everything they never really develop. This meant that at the end of the book you had the two main protagonists Malian and Kalan riding off into the distance but no sense as to who their enemies really are. The only enemy you have is the Swam of the Dark and you have no idea as to...

The Prague Cemetery - Umberto Eco Translated from the Italian by Richard Dixon, Harvill Secker - London, 440 pages I should know by now having read a couple of Eco's books that I should do some historical research before hand. That way I will have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the scale and breadth of the story telling. The Prague Cemetery is a wonderful exploration of 19th century Europe with conspiracies all the rage, our protagonist is central to what is happening as is 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.' A work that was initially given some credibility and then found out to be a forgery. Eco treats us to a fictional exploration of how the work came into being. The writing is truly marvellous and he is able to succinctly capture a person and provide some wonderful insights "leaders with too much charisma should be removed immediately, for the peace and security of the kingdom' or "People are never so completely and enthusiastically evi...

Norwegian Folk Tales Illustrated by Erik Werenskiold and Theodor Kittelsen From the collection of Peter Christen Asbjornsen and Jorgen Moe Publisher: Dreyers Forlag, Oslo 1978 I picked up this up at second hand book fair for the bargain price of $2. It was well worth the price and then some. This is a wonderful little hardback of 35 Norwegian Folk tales that are beautifully illustrated. Some of the stories are similar and there is quite a bit of Christian references through them. My favourite tale was 'The Ram and the Pig who went into the woods to live by themselves' which has some wonderful lines such as 'with chat and quack one builds neither house nor shack.' Or m ...more I picked up this up at second hand book fair for the bargain price of $2. It was well worth the price and then some. This is a wonderful little hardback of 35 Norwegian Folk tales that are beautifully illustrated. Some of the stories are similar and there is quite a bit of Christian referenc...

Fungus the Bogeyman - Raymond Briggs Penguin, 35th Anniversary edition Oh Fungus, how I love thee. I remembered this book as a child, as an adult I had to find a copy and I did. The book was more a revelation this time around. Fungus lives an ordinary life, he gets up, gets prepared for work, makes the commute, does his job and wonders what is it all about? That is what I loved this time around, Fungus did not know why he scares people, why he puts boils on them and why he does this day after day. While Fungus tries to figure life out, we are treated to an exploration of his world. We learn the many ways bogeymen relax from fishing to gardening, to drinking at the local pub. We even have a lesson in bogeymen relationships and it is all done with a deft touch of humour. The pictures are fantastic and this is a gem of a book. This book was first produced in 1977 and it really is remarkable for its time. It is not for everyone's taste, I mean you have to be keen on slime, pus and...

Well my reading for the last couple of weeks has been all over the place and I have really struggled to become lost in a book. I have been trying to work my way through 'Forever Amber' by Kathleen Winsor, 'The Grail Enigma' by Laurence Gardner and the one that I am enjoying but can be heavy going is 'Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking' by Susan Cain. I find with Cain's book I need some time to think over what she has proposed. I have managed to finish one book being: Mythology by Edith Hamilton This is a great introduction to Greek and Roman Mythology with a little bit of Norse thrown in. If you have never read the source material then this is a good book to start with. Hamilton covers the topics with enthusiasm and you feel confident that she has researched her topics well. If you have read the source material, the book can feel a bit light weight as some of the myths are never explored in great detail. You have an o...