The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien

Being the Sixth Post of my Project Reread...
And now we head into the heart of the story... without having reread The Return of the King yet, I don’t want to go too far out on limb, but I believe the first half of The Two Towers (Book III) may be my favorite portion of the story. Why? That’s easy - the Ents.

Treebeard and the Ents - While the concept of “Ents”, or similar beings, was not anything new, it was something very new to me when I first read about them as a teenager (I don’t remember even making the connection between Robert Jordan’s Green Man and Tolkien’s Treebeard at the time of my first reading - I did later, of course, plus a myriad of mythological similarities as came across them as developing reader). Nonetheless, the almost majestic qualities of the Ents, their history, and their current situation (no “entlings” or “entwives”) was something that fascinated me upon a first read, and thus I paid closer attention this time around - and they do continue to fascinate me. The juxtaposition of these two small hobbits matched up with something akin to giants always seemed such a great way to demonstrate something more than a straight read of the situation provides. Concerning the Ents and their history, it is something I may look into further - I hope somewhere in all of Tolkien’s Middle Earth writings there is more about them - there must be, but I am not a Tolkien scholar by any stretch of the imagination so maybe not.

Other points of interest:
Helm’s Deep - Now here is something I believe I must glazed over during my first reading of the book, or just plain forgot about, but (thanks largely, I will admit, to Peter Jackson’s film) I sure paid attention this time around. I think battles are things that are not typically written well (although there are plenty of exceptions I have read). In many instances, I find myself skimming when reading a battle scene - and, if you think about it, that almost makes sense... in a battle, things are never straight forward and often very confusing - it is a quite a challenge for a writer to roll up all that occurs during a battle, giving the reader a clear picture of the confusion of battle (or the fog of war, as it is). Tolkien deals with battle scenes in an intelligent manner, leaving certain things to the reader to imagine and paint for himself (again, this may just be due to my tendency to gloss over things in reading a battle scene).

Book IV - and here we get back to the story of Frodo and the Ring. Frodo and Sam are continuing their quest, and adventure awaits the reader. Their slow, hard journey (what would be the point if it were easy) moves forward. With a detour or two, this section is essential to the story - it is the average person pushed into extraordinary situations and how they overcome what seems to be insurmountable odds against them. This was all fine and well, but I must admit, here I began to feel the story drag on me. Even if a lot of Book IV adds layers to the story and world, I know the outcome, and found myself wondering if it was all necessary.

OK, that’s it for The Two Towers. Was it worth a reread? Sure. Every story needs a middle, and The Two Towers provides an expansive and adventurous center to The Lord of the Rings. Throughout this all, Tolkien continues to add layers and depth to Middle Earth. The history and expansiveness of the world is what is keeping me into the story.
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Up next on my Project Reread - The Return of the King - which will wrap up my reread of The Lord of the Rings, hopefully providing some insights into the fantasy genre along the way. At some point I am sure I will be reading more Tolkien (by and about), but those posts will be something rather far in the future, and not related to my Project Reread.

Thine is the Kingdom by Garth Buckner

Thine is the Kingdom is Garth Buckner’s fascinating second novel. Set in Nassau, amid the heritage of the Bahamas, it examines what it means to be from, and of, the island. It does so in an elegant and sometimes lush manner. This is mainly the story of a young man, Galvin Blake, who returns to the island after college and a few years spent roaming the world, to gain what he considers his birthright, his citizenship. In the process, Galvin must make some tough and thought provoking choices to achieve his goal. Garth Buckner’s writing is clear and descriptive. His use of Bahamian slang adds a certain authenticity to the dialogue (although, to be honest, I have no way to really confirm its accuracy).

What made Thine is the Kingdom so interesting to me was not only the exotic locale, but the truly real characters which populate the story. “I know these people”, was a realization I came to halfway through the book... even though it is set in a foreign land (to me), the conflicts of class are rather universal - and not just between the high and low, but intra-class conflict as well. These are characters that I feel would be as at home in Northeast Pennsylvania as they are in the Bahamas... the conflict of those who identify themselves as locals with those whom they consider not local is one which has been going on in the area of Pennsylvania I am originally from for quite some time now (there is much more to it than that, but a wanderin' and a ramblin' I will go if I start talking about all that), as it most likely is in many other places - albeit with a different lexicon of slang (blessed be the cutterman) than is used in the Bahamas. This is to say nothing of the upper / lower class conflicts that are examined which are just as timeless and universal. These conflicts are presented in a sometimes stark, sometimes amusing, yet always interesting fashion. Along with adventure and an islander’s look at crime and violence, this book is a worthwhile and quick read. Thine is the Kingdom is a great example of what I’d call “island literature” (I’m not even sure if that is something real, but it should be).

Looks like Thine is the Kingdom is due out here in the states in the beginning of May, make sure to check it out.

“The Secret Society of Readers”

Some authors have good websites, some do not. Dan Simmons has a great website. He has lots of excellent content for readers of his work (and for those who have never read him as well). His Writing Well section provides more quality info for aspiring writers than many writing books probably do (don't quote me on this, I am not a writer - but Dan can write, and has some long and in depth articles in that section which seem very useful).

Every month or two he puts up a nice long "message from Dan" which can cover almost anything, is occasionally controversial (see The Time Traveler), and is always worth looking at. His message for February/March is a good introduction to him if you do not know his work, are only aware of his work within one specific genre, or just want to read some of his thoughts on what he’s written... I have previously written about my desire to have more writers write an “On Writing” type book (something that is more “my experiences in the publishing” than “how to write”) and I want Dan Simmons to write one of those books!

The best part of his most recent February/March message is the fourth and final section down the page, "The Secret Society of Readers"... a fascinating little segment that is worth it for every "reader" to read and ponder briefly. Don't spend too much time on it or you might over think the situation (or maybe that is just me - I have never read, or even heard of, Sven Birkerts before, and now wonder if his ideas on reading are pretentious or enlightening - nonetheless, I am now bound to read The Gutenberg Elegies, probably sometime soon)... I see it as a nice little thought provoking "thank you" for readers of his work, and for reading the message, which was quite enjoyable... check it out, it is worth your time.

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien

Being the Fifth Post of my Project Reread...
I must admit I was amazed at how much Peter Jackson’s vision from the movies influenced so much of what I saw in my mind’s eye while I was rereading The Fellowship of the Ring (it has been near 20 years since I read these books, after all). I do not want to imply this is a bad thing... it is just something I noticed very early on in my reread of The Fellowship of the Ring. Although, now that I think on it, it may be that the movies matched so much of what I remembered of reading the books that the two will be forever connected in some way in my mind. The beauty, splendor, adventure, history, legends, language, cultures, as well as the core of the story are things which the films seem to do a nice job of translating to a visual medium. At the time the movies were coming out, it was certainly a fabulous period to be a Tolkien fan... I almost called it “a heyday of Tolkien fandom”, but felt that was wrong somehow - surely, thanks to the movies, there was a whole new generation who learned of Tolkien, but who is to say when the ultimate appreciation of Tolkien has been, or will be?

As for a review of the book itself? Well, I love it... did when I first read it, and still do - is that enough info? OK, my love of Tolkien is a somewhat complex thing. I have difficulty separating my thoughts on this book with my thoughts on The Lord of the Rings as a whole (which should be the case). I think that due to this, my thoughts on each book are to be relatively brief, but when I have three posts up, one for each book, my collective ramblings, taken as a whole, will hopefully give a fuller picture of my views on the story.
For now I would like to comment on how the story begins... in a word - slowly. I personally enjoyed being pulled into the story (which does have a lot of action) through the time spent learning about the Shire and its residents, getting back-story here and there before we set off on the quest. It is this world building mechanism, which slowly evolves, that I feel adds to the depth of the world. Some would argue this point, but imagine what the reaction would be of the publication of The Lord of the Rings in today’s market? Reader reaction would most likely be much different - instant gratification is almost a must nowadays it seems, which is something of shame - gone are the days of gradual buildup, everything feels like it has to start with a bang... although, in the case of The Fellowship of the Ring there are fireworks. Of course, the creation of Middle Earth was, by most accounts, Tolkien’s life work - years and years were spent not only creating places, but characters, cultures, songs, history, legends, and languages... so you can't really begrudge him for taking his time.

One of the main things I think, and will probably repeat, is that this is a truly timeless tale, written in a timeless form. It is every bit as enjoyable, enlightening, and engrossing as it was when I first read it - probably as much so as when it was written, and almost certainly will be 50 years from now. One of the simplest reasons for this, I feel, is mentioned by Tolkien himself right in the introduction to The Fellowship of the Ring - “allegory” vs. “applicability”. Tolkien deliberately avoided allegory, and quite clearly expresses his dislike for things allegorical. So instead we get applicability - the reader gets to place his or her own connections on story elements, if they choose to... one person can compare Sauron to Hitler, another to Bush, and another still to their overbearing boss. There is much to the story which seems to transcend the time it was written in, but this view of “allegory” and “applicability” by Tolkien, without a doubt in my mind, is a main contributing factor to the timelessness of Tolkien’s work. This is to say nothing of the language use (which will need to wait for another day).

Was it worth a reread? Yes. The timeless nature mentioned above provides a reread-ability which is quite high. This will most likely not be the last time I read this book.
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Collector’s note - oh boy, now that is a can of worms... The Lord of the Rings, and Tolkien, are HIGHLY collectible. From when it was first published back in the 1950’s, The Lord of the Rings has had colorful printing history (with a bit of intrigue to go with it). To get the various impressions and printings straight in your head would take much more time than I have - I know to some it is probably quite simple, just not me. Please check out some of the following links to learn more about collecting Tolkien...

Tolkien Collector’s Guide
Tolkien Library
Tolkien Collector
JRR Tolkien: A Collection

Here’s my suggestion if you want to get into collecting Tolkien - unless you’ve just won the powerball, start small, find a nice clean matching set (pick whatever cover art that appeals to you), don’t worry too much about what printing you have, and then upgrade and add on from there.... to quote the boss, “From small things, mama Big things one day come”.
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Up next on my Project Reread - The Two Towers - somehow, it just doesn’t feel right to split up a reading of The Lord of the Rings. The Lord of the Rings is one story, one book really - and reminds me that I should go hunting for a nice one volume edition for the shelf. The two other series which are part of my Project Reread can also be considered “one story” (albeit, unfinished at this point), but their structures feel much different, giving each book a bit more of a stand alone impression.

Find a Book Sale, now!

I often mention my love for book sales, but I think they are something that not everyone knows about. Previously I have stated my intentions of writing up my full views, opinions, thoughts, annoyances, and joys of attending book sales - this is not that post - that is going to be a quite large, possibly multi-post, affair... as we head into spring and summer sales, I plan on taking notes, fleshing out my thoughts, and generally having grand ol’ time of it. This is just a short post to urge you all to support your local book sales...

It is pretty easy - find a book sale, buy books, save money, and support some good causes in the process.

How to find a sale? Book Sale Finder is an invaluable resource for book sale goers, and the best place I have found to do so. Make sure to sign up for their Sale Mail - a great reminder once a week that you want to go buy books. Besides that, ask around at local libraries (not every sale will be listed online)... Friends of the Library sales tend to be their predominant fundraisers (you should be a “friend” of your local library system, even if you don’t use the library - you like books, they like books, why not be friends). Don’t think book sales are your thing? Then find a local charity to donate some books to, it’ll make you feel good...
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Bloodthirsty by Marshall Karp

Marshall Karp has officially become the author I tell people about when asked if I’ve read anything good lately... I feel his books would appeal to a rather wide audience, so I don’t think I can go wrong recommending them to almost everyone. His second outing showcasing Lomax and Biggs is another fabulous read. Everything I said about The Rabbit Factory holds true with this book. He writes a fast and fun mystery with believable characters you care about. Please put Marshall Karp on your too read list... if you like mysteries (and who doesn’t, at least, from time to time), you owe it to yourself to read him.

I’d say Bloodthirsty is a more tightly woven tale, without as many side stories as The Rabbit Factory had (which I enjoyed - and probably my only complaint about Bloodthirsty... I wanted more!). Although it is slimmed down a bit, this book is still packed with action and a great story. Giving you an inside look of sorts into Hollywood and the various characters which make the town what it is (and it does takes all kinds), I’d guess this book would be good fun for those who stay up to date on celebrity gossip - which is not me, yet I enjoyed it all the same. And don’t worry, his humorous voice is still present - I have deliberately not compared Marshall Karp to anyone else as I feel he should be known as himself, not as some somebody meets somebody else. Funny, intelligent, suspenseful - whatever you need in a mystery, Marshall Karp has got you covered.

Again, I want to urge everybody to check out Marshall Karp’s website - The official website of Mike Lomax, Terry Biggs, and Marshall Karp - lot’s to learn and laugh about there.
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Now that I have finished Marshall Karp’s first two books, I will be passing them on to my mother to read (or more likely buying them for her - I loathe the idea of loaning out books so much that my dear ol' mommy even gets the short end of my kindness)... my mom is a reader’s reader - she reads all the time, nothing overly literary, just whatever catches her fancy - she is retired, never leaves home without a book, probably watches all of half an hour of TV a day, and tends to have stacks of books all over the house - probably the person most likely to blame for turning me into the OCBD (obsessive compulsive bookworm disorder) case I am- and it is rare that I find an author I know she will love, that she hasn't read yet, but in Marshall Karp I have.

The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan

Being the Fourth Post of my Project Reread...
I was slightly tempted to just write “more of the same” and leave it at that, but I can’t… I mean, in one aspect, Robert Jordan’s second book in the Wheel of Time series is more of the same - entertaining high fantasy, distinguished by excellent world building and enjoyable characters. On the other hand, this book is not more of the same - we watch the story grow and really get our first inkling that this isn’t your average fantasy trilogy which seemed to be the norm of the day (back when I first read it, I remember thinking “no way is this guy going to finish this story in the next book”, and I couldn’t have been happier about that).

The Great Hunt opens, more or less, where The Eye of the World left us. We are then thrown into your somewhat typical fantasy quest along with some other side stories. Our characters develop nicely and quite naturally throughout this book. I am going to eventually sound like a broken record, but I really just enjoy spending time in the world Robert Jordan creates here, and that is exactly what this book provides. We learn more of the legends and prophecies which play a large part in this series. We see and learn about new lands and meet the people of those lands. We meet new characters, and catch up with some characters that you might not think would be back in the story. We see Tar Valon and the White Tower for the first and learn a little more about the inner workings of the Aes Sedai (don’t worry, lots more to be learned about them as the series moves along). All in all, as satisfying of a sequel as I have read.

One thing I think I forgot to mention while discussing The Eye of the World, and which is also present in The Great Hunt (and something of very little note) is that the chapter titles do a nice job of describing their contents without spoiling anything. Yes, this is a small thing, but it is nice to be able to go back and just read the chapter titles to jog your memory on what occurred - sort of a nice thing as I am writing this almost two weeks after I finished.

Was it worth a reread? Yes, and in some ways more so than the first volume. The Eye of the World has such a strong place in my memory that it occasionally overshadows some of the books that follow. The Great Hunt was every bit as enjoyable as The Eye of the World, and in some instances much more rewarding and entertaining.
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Collector’s note - The Great Hunt is every bit as collectible as The Eye of the World, being the first edition was woefully under printed in relation to the popularity that this series eventually came to (that is not to say this was a fault of the publisher - it is not - it is just that, again I am pretty sure, no one involved dreamed that this was about to become “The” fantasy series of the 90’s).
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Up next on my Project Reread - I am still deciding between The Dragon Reborn and The Fellowship of the Ring (which I, for some reason, foresee as taking more time to get through than the other books I have reread thus far). I am really enjoying myself with this Project Reread, and I am quite happy that I have lots more rereading in front of me.

Sometimes the Magic Works by Terry Brooks

I picked this up for $3 at a used bookstore not knowing what to expect - I have read a couple of Terry Brooks’ books and enjoyed them well enough (I do plan on reading more of him sometime). This book is something of a dual purpose memoir / writing how-to (or more precisely, how Terry Brooks writes). I would guess that the publication and success of Stephen King’s On Writing (which was quite a good book - and can almost be seen up on the left hand side of the Madness Abides bookshelf picture) enabled this book to see the inside of bookstores... and there is nothing wrong with that - more books of this nature by both bestselling and lesser known writers would be wonderful as far as I am concerned.

Sometimes the Magic Works is a slim volume containing some worthwhile reading. The writing sections/advice seemed a bit generic, although probably helpful to aspiring young writers. There is nothing groundbreaking in terms of writing lessons to be learned (although, what do I know, the last writing class I took was in high school). Terry Brooks does provide his advice in an entertaining fashion.

The memoir portions are what really entertained me, and makes this book worth every penny of those three dollars I dropped on it. The time he spends discussing his relationship with various aspects of the publishing industry, from first getting published through being a New York Times bestseller, the challenges of writing outside the genre he is known for, dealing with the woes of writing movie adaptations, and other inside type information was fascinating. The parts mentioning what he learns from his young grandson are entertaining and just goes to show you, you can teach an old dog new tricks (Terry, not saying you’re old, just saying there’s something good going on in those chapters).

There needs to be more books of this nature from a variety of writers... maybe a series of “tell us about your writing career” books - that has got to appeal to more people than me, right? OK, maybe not, but I would surely spend some money on such a series.

Give Sometimes the Magic Works a look if you like Terry Brooks, have a need for some writing advice, or enjoyed Stephen King’s On Writing.

Super Bowl Prediction by the Books

Who will win today’s game?

I figured I would have a bit of fun and see who will be the winner by comparing two books (with no association to football whatsoever) that I have read. For today’s matchup we have:

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon
Vs.
The Cardinal of the Kremlin by Tom Clancy

Even though these two teams do not matchup equally (it is the best I could come up with from books I have read), it was still a pretty tough competition. My love for Michael Chabon’s work has been expressed here previously, but I do not believe I have mentioned Tom Clancy before. He writes rather entertaining thrillers that I have shamelessly enjoyed over the years. The Cardinal of the Kremlin was as enjoyable as any Tom Clancy book. The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, being Chabon’s first novel, was somewhat uneven and not all together indicative of his work that followed, although it was quite good. With that said, the game stays close into the fourth quarter until ultimately (and probably due to the fact I am from Pennsylvania) The Mysteries of Pittsburgh wins by a field goal...

So there you have it, my prediction for today’s game, The Pittsburgh Steelers will beat The Arizona Cardinals by less than a touchdown. Seems like a safe bet, I’m calling my bookie now…