Yesterday was TOLKIEN Day!

March 25...which was yesterday...but oh well I'm doing this today!

March 25 is the day associated with the fall of SAURON in Lord of the Rings!!

That's right, padawans! Today is Tolkien Day! This holiday was launched by the Tolkien Society in 2003; the day celebrates the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and their uses in educational and library groups.

And as a fellow "Ringer" (apparently there's a term for people who fan about Lord of the Rings) or "Tolkienite" (haha I like this one!) I had to blog to about my favorite author and his appreciation day!

I was looking on wiki and the extensiveness of Tolkien fandom is really awesome, and incredibly nerdy. There are actual "Tolkienologists" who study Tolkien linguistics and all the histories of the people of Middle Earth. I'll readily admit: that's not me! It was all I could do in school to get through Hebrew and Latin - nevermind Quenya and Sindarin!

So in honor of Tolkien Day (yesterday), I thought I'd talk just a little about this amazing series :)

- The books were published in the 1950s (around the same time as Tolkien's pal Lewis started publishing the Narnia books)

- The books even had an impact on the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s. That's right, apparently young people embraced the series and sparked its popularity, and phrases "Frodo Lives!" and "Gandalf for President" became common. Hey, I'm with the hippies: Gandalf would have made an awesome president!

- Anyone like Veggie Tales? Apparently they did a parody of LOTR called Lord of the Beans. OMG!!!! *runs to netflix*

- And of course, the amazing job fellow Ringer Peter Jackson did with the film versions. Thanks, Pete! Those movies are surprisingly faithful to the books, and I actually watched the movies first then went back and read the books...because the books are a little...umm...heavy. :)

- as of now, LOTR is the #1 bestselling series of all time, and ranks after A Tale of Two Cities as the bestselling fiction story, with 150 million copies

Not only did Tolkien write an amazing series full of memorable (and inspiring) characters, but the magnitude of detail in his works is astounding and will probably never be replicated fully. For goodness sake, this man created languages - several of them! His Middle Earth is full of vast cultural exploration and historical facts that further exemplify his brilliance. I'm fangirling out now, I know it, but THIS is the type of author to inspire to.

Now only was Tolkien a great author, he was a great person, and I have read 2 of his biographies to date and was inspired by his personal life: he was a fighter in WWI, an educator, a family man, a religious man... One of my favorite Tolkien stories is not fictional at all - it's the story of his courtship and marriage to Edith Bratt, his wife. Now THAT is a cute story! :)

My favorite LOTR quote:

"War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend." (The Two Towers)

- I have this quote on my bulletin board, and it really helps me when I write a fight/battle scene. I think he hit the nail on the head with this one!

"We have come from God, and inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God. Indeed only by myth-making, only by becoming 'sub-creator' and inventing stories, can Man aspire to the state of perfection that he knew before the Fall. Our myths may be misguided, but they steer however shakily towards the true harbour, while materialistic 'progress' leads only to a yawning abyss and the Iron Crown of the power of evil."

And this, to me, could easily be the Fantasy Writer's Creed:

"Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!"

Yeah! I like realism sometimes, but when I read, I want to escape reality, and so fantasy is my greatest outlet. Thanks, Tolkien!

Review - TROLL BLOOD

Troll Blood - Katherine Langrish

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
# of pages: 395 (UK paperback)
Published by: Harper Collins

Recommended for: ALL AGES.

My Thoughts

I am seriously not exaggerating when I say that the Troll Trilogy is one of the greatest series I have ever read – and I’ve read a lot of books. Within the series, readers are given hearty doses of fantasy, folklore, history, and culture of not one but two civilizations: the Vikings of 10th century Norway and the Native Ameri--er, Canadians. It delivered on action, suspense, romance, and a little bit of comedy, too.

The direction of the third (and final) book in the trilogy completely changes directions from the other two; instead of the familiar fells and surrounding areas of Norway, our characters are now part of an expedition to a whole new world (North America, in other words). Apparently, good ol’ Christopher Columbus wasn’t the first European to reach North America – the Vikings made it over about 500 years earlier, and from this piece of history, an amazing story unfolds. Troll Blood reads a little more like a historical fiction story with fantastical elements added in. I may have my terminology all wrong, but it reminds me of an MG “magical realism” story: there’s magic involved, but it’s placed in a very normal context, not overt in tone like some of your other fantasy series books. I found that really refreshing after reading so many overtly magical stories.

Plot: Like I said, this book takes the series in a different direction, and what an exciting story emerged! By removing the characters from their familiar environment, the story that develops has a bit of a suspense edge to it – you truly have no idea what’s going to happen next, because so many elements have changed. There seem to be 3 plots that unfold over the course of the story: Peer, Hilde, and Company’s expedition across the sea and everything that develops with them; the characters in Vinland and their interactions with their visitors; and finally, the emotional and psychological development of the main characters. Peer and Hilde don’t just have a physical journey – they embark on an emotional one, too.
Frequently I found myself marveling at how much action had taken place over the course of the series, beginning with Troll Fell. With each book, the plot got a little darker and a little more involved, which was a really cool progression and one that is no doubt easier said than done. I think it’s so cool how Ms. Langrish was able to progress her story so smoothly without getting too over-the-top or too mature. Books nowadays are either really superficial or have-a-meltdown- serious and thematic. So bravo for giving us great stories that amplify over the course of the series!

Characters: Peer and Hilde change so much from 12 year olds to 16 year olds, and yet they retain the same personalities and characteristics that made me love them in the first place. I love romantic storylines that are done right – and ones that aren’t the main focus of the story. It was so sweet to read about Peer and Hilde struggle with their feelings, but it was very refreshing to have more going on in the story, too. And all of the new characters were very strong and well-thought out. I personally couldn’t help but like Harald, even though he’s totally wicked! Hmm, maybe he’s one of Draco Malfoy’s ancestors? And Astrid, the reluctant wife of a Viking explorer with a few skeletons in her closet, was such an interesting character, too. I thought I had her all figured out, but boy was I wrong!

Ending: I tag on this category for series-enders – it’s a chance for me to hurrah or whine about how a series was wrapped up. I love closure, but too much closure and I think you lose some of the intrigue of the story that you had during your reading experience. I felt like Troll Blood gave me enough closure but also left a window open for me to fantasize a bit! The last few chapters were just incredible – lots of action, lots of excitement, and a few “no way!” outbursts. You just have to read this for yourself!

Final Rating: 5/5. Yeah, it’s that good

The Pendulum of YA: "girls who do things" and boys who don't do anything at all

WARNING: The following post contains opinions about the Twilight series that may seem negative or overly-critical. I would like to proudly proclaim that I am a Twi-fan. I love the series, and so I feel like it's okay for me to wag my finger at it a little, because I'm still a fan! I love the Twilight series, I love Stephenie Meyer... it's all good!

Okay, let's begin:

It seems that YA books nowadays represent a sort of pendulum: they swing in one direction and you see domineering, arrogant/egotistical unhealthy bad boys, and they swing in the other direction and you see…pretty much same type of character, only instead of a boy, it’s a girl. Girls in teen books are either meek and flat, with little to no personality, who enter into unhealthy relationships with boys who push them around (but apparently that’s okay, as long as the guy in question is “hot” and/or some sort of mythological creature), or they are butt-kicking angry chicks who scream independence…which I think has the potential to be just as unhealthy.

Let me play devil’s advocate for a moment: everybody seems to hate Edward Cullen, but what about some of these other “gloriously independent” girls? If Edward is a chauvinist, how are these angry chicks any better?

There’s a difference between “girls who do things” and “girls who are angry bitches.” Sorry, but I had to put that word in! However, the former has lately been overshadowed by the latter.

Like I said in the intro, there seem to be a lot of messages that teen authors are portraying – my blog buddy Choco tackles weirdo “romances” in one of her latest posts, and that got me thinking about one of my pet peeves that I’ve seen a lot of recently: overly-dominant girl characters. This is the 21st century, and it really bothers me when authors try and drag us back to the Dark Ages.

Now, I know that there are some awesome, strong, able-minded girls in fiction that readers can look up to: presently, I’d say the one of the truly strongest characters out there is Annabeth Chase from the Percy Jackson series. Here’s a girl who is smart, a good fighter/no weakling, and not really dependant on anyone… but here’s where she’s special: while she may not need anyone – especially a boy – she seems to want one, and that is normal and healthy. She’s not trying to be an island unto herself; she’s not trying to be “greater than thou.” She is at her strongest when she’s with her friends (Percy in particular). Another good character is Eilonwy from the Chronicles of Prydain, for many of the same reasons. I really do think that the Intermediate-age authors are the ones who best get it right: they are the ones with the most well-rounded “role model” characters and they also seem to be the ones who present the healthiest relationships. Way to go, MG authors!

So I kind of bristle when teen authors get so excited with themselves for writing “butt”-kicking female characters…is it just me, or is that taking a walk down the hypocritical road? Why is it bad for boys to push girls around and for boys to be pillars of strength, but totally alright for girls to treat boys like they don’t matter? That seems a little chauvinistic to me – and that’s a phrase that I find myself using a lot: “female chauvinism.” I don’t want to annoy anyone, but I found darling Katsa in YA’s Most Beloved Novel Graceling to be a complete Female Chauvinist. I’m sorry, but are we seriously saying that someone who is anti-marriage and anti-kids is a positive role model for girls today? Um, forget that: when exactly was Katsa positive about anything? I read that book and all I heard was, “I’m an angry young woman! I’m an angry young woman!” Or how about everybody’s favorite heroine: Tamora Pierce’s Alanna. I must be the stupidest girl in America, but the main character moves from one sex partner to another over the course of the 4 books…and she’s a role model?! Oh, I forgot: she’s brave and she’s a good fighter. Well, wonderful! Is that all that matters?

Now, while I like a rant just as much (or probably more) than the next person, I think they are pretty futile without some sort of suggestion. Yes, I think we have a problem in YA with the constant image of domineering, overbearing male love interests. However, I think we have a problem on the opposite end of the spectrum with “girls who kick too much butt” characters who are screaming independence. I learned this in my Marriage & Family Therapy class, and it’s some of the most beneficial and crucial bits of information I’ve received from my time in college: the goal of a relationship needs to be INTERDEPENDENCY. “Interdependency” means having two mature and complete people who come together to form a relationship based on give and take and working together. Not codependency, Miss Swan. Not independence either, Miss…Everyone. Now, in order to be an interesting story, there still have to be some elements of drama going on, but using this model you don’t have controlling boys OR girls. Yes, everybody likes to harp about domineering boys, and they should! But let’s not forget that it is possible – and just as unhealthy – to have domineering girl characters. If boys aren’t allowed to get away with lack of commitment, girls shouldn’t, either. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s a double standard.

So yes, I can see why Edward would be unpopular. I might irritate some blog buddies (hopefully not), but I didn't really think Edward was all that bad. Edward's gonna do what he's gonna do - he thinks he's being protective and whatnot...but he was able to get away with it because Bella's such a moron, she didn't put him in his place! And please: of course Edward has to protect Bella! She's such a klutzy doofus! Okay, but I don't want to get into a Twilight rant. I liked the Twilight saga okay because you had a romance where the characters actually waited until marriage to have sex - what a concept! That's always a safe bet: if you can't write an appropriate love story, just don't put that element in there! Mrs. Meyer, if I ever amount to anything as a published writer, I'm gonna look you up and buy you a cup of coffee! You go, girl! :) I think if Edward was my boyfriend, I wouldn't give a flying burrito if he watched me sleep - long as he didn't wake me up! In fact, I'd probably put him to work doing my homework - he doesn't sleep after all, am I right?! But I'm getting way, way off topic. That happens a lot. Apologies.

So what I would like to see axed:
1) boys who are too overbearing
2) girls who are too overbearing
3) lust-based relationships
4) love triangles. I haven't touched on this, but it's just a pet peeve. Are girls just total losers if they don't have at least 2 guys chasing them? I hope not, or else my self-esteem will take a hit.
5) boys and girls who's main goal in a relationship is to maintain their independence.


But that's just my two cents. Do you have something to add? I hope so - I'll look pretty silly just blogging to myself!

In My Mailbox [6]

Nothing came in my mailbox this week, but I did buy 3 new books!

• Life as We Knew It - Susan Beth Pfeffer


• The Iron King - Julie Kagawa


• Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side - Beth Fantaskey

I can't wait to read these! :)

And now I'm going to try really, really hard not to buy any more books for the next three weeks! I've been spending way too much money on books and not enough on school stuff...bad me. So that's the plan, anyway!

Has anybody read these books? If so, what did you think?!

More Random Thoughts, or Why Amelia Needs to Stop Going Off on Tangents

You know how it’s good to “never say never,” and Fievel and Tiger even sing a cute song about it in An American Tail…? Well, sometimes I think it is okay to “say never”: I’m never going to kick a kitten, I’m never going to slap a child, I’m never going to shoot someone, I’m never going to shoplift, I’m never going to stop believing in God, and I’m most likely never going to read George R.R. Martin.

So…okay, we’ve established that. So why is it that I still manage to get so worked up over a silly comment made by an author who will 1) never EVER outsell my favorite author, Mr. JRR Tolkien, and 2) never be read by me?

Maybe it’s because his view is something I seem to see a lot of these days. Why do authors hate good-and-evil stories? I don’t understand! I think the best stories out there – speaking in terms of fantasy – are the ones that follow the Hero’s Journey model, ones that traditionally have good-and-evil themes on an epic scale.

According to the Encyclopedia of Fantasy, characteristics of “heroic fantasy” include a scenario where the protagonist is reluctant to be a champion and is of low or humble origin, and frequently has royal ancestors or parents but does not know it. Through events usually beyond his control, he is thrust into positions of great responsibility where his mettle is tested in a number of spiritual and physical challenges. Although it shares many of the basic themes of Sword and Sorcery the term 'Heroic fantasy' is often used to avoid the garish overtones of the former. In my previous post, I mentioned that Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain are my favorite series, and one of the many reasons why is because of the themes that Alexander so effortlessly and poignantly weaves into his stories. Yes, his characters are flawed and dynamic, but more importantly they’re inspiring. Sure, everyone wants characters they can relate too, but don’t you want characters you can look up too, also? I sure do. Like I mentioned before, JRR Tolkien’s epic Middle Earth stories not only exemplify “heroic fantasy,” they also helped to boost a revival in the popularity of the subgenre. Frodo Baggins is certainly not a perfect character. He’s flawed – a little on the ignorant side, as a Hobbit he’s not really supposed to be one of the more ‘important’ species of Middle Earth, and as the story progresses, he even falls prey to the power of the Ring. But he’s still good. Does that make sense?

Now, though, new fantasy authors are apparently changing the trend. I’m all for shaking things up and everything, but I can’t help but wonder if all changes in literature are necessary and beneficial. Many new fantasy authors are trying to shed the traditional concept of heroes and even of good and evil (I’m taking bits of this from wiki too). Now, thanks to the like of Jacqueline Carey and George R.R. Martin (my dad has dubbed the latter the ‘Anti-Tolkien’), there is a blurring between ‘heroes’ and ‘villains.’

There was one quote that Martin made in particular that sparked this post…and now I look like such a doofus because I can’t find it to post on here (I’m writing in class right now). But why the blurring? Why does everything have to be so dadgum ambiguous? You know I have a tendency to be a little “over-the-top” I guess, but I find authors’ desire to blur good and evil and introduce ideas of relativism to be a little on the disturbing side. And besides, that’s not very “epic.” Most epic stories need some sort of grand struggle… I think you can tell that I’m a champion of heroic fantasy and its themes. There’s a grandness about them, there’s something inspirational as well as thought-provoking. It’s something I try to emulate when I write. But then again, I believe in right and wrong, and I like “good” protagonists and “bad” villains. Now please hear me – this is not an invitation for cardboard characters or blasé fairytale retellings (have you ever noticed that fairytales are very…like…there’s not a lot to them) but then again, there is nothing, nothing blasé about Tolkien’s works. If there was any power in wishful thinking, then I would wish for a return to the styles of Lloyd Alexander, CS Lewis, and JRR Tolkien: fantasy stories with heart.

I have to go, but I just wanted to toss yet some more thoughts out into the great blogosphere!

glimpse of my bookshelves

My bookshelves!

Most of my history books

Mythology/fantasy anthologies

THE GREATEST BOOKS OF ALL TIME! CHRONICLES OF PRYDAIN by Lloyd Alexander

Quote of the Week :)

"Innocence dwells with wisdom, but never with ignorance."

- William Blake

This quote is for all the 'eternal children' out there! I don't know the key to happiness or anything, but I like to think it has a little to do with keeping an inner childlike quality - in imagination, in compassion, in creativity, in excitement, in love.

Have a great week everybody!