5/9/2017 0 Comments The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.' This is the first paragraph we are greeted with as we enter J R R Tolkien's world of hobbits, elves, dwarves and other fantastical creatures. We are given descriptions of comfort and sensory images that make us feel warm and invited into the hobbit-hole being described. We are given a tour around this home, making us feel welcome in the foreign space. And then we meet Bilbo Baggins, the inhabitant of this home, and the story begins. This is the charm, the magic, that fills the pages of Tolkien's famous story of The Hobbit. The simplistic use of language to beautifully describe the surroundings and tell the story is what captures the reader, and we are soon taken hand-in-hand on an adventure with the unlikely venturer (soon burglar), Mr Bilbo Baggins himself. This tale, first published in 1937, hit high acclaim instantly. It was originally written as a story for Tolkien's own children but we are lucky enough that it was open for the rest of us to experience. The characters have risen to immortality with the increasing popularity of this tale, helped by the trilogy of films released based on the book. This is a story many know and have read, so I will do my best in reviewing it in an original and interesting way to hopefully inspire you to read or reread this story and experience Tolkien's magic.
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Welcome to Urte, a world split into two continents called Yuros and Antiopia (or Ahmedhassa). Do you belong in Yuros where mages are well-known and are seen as the better of their non-mage counterparts? Where mages study in the best colleges specifically for them, and families are chosen based on the blood-ranking of their gnosis? Or do you belong in Antiopia, a place built on strength and the man's word? Where family means everything and trading spices, foods and other wares is the profitable industry? Find yourself mesmerised by the depth created in David Hair's fantasy world, a quartet of books that follows the lives of many characters that lead you through the failures and successes that life throws at you, and the political games played in the midst of corruption and destruction. The four books in this series are called Mage's Blood, Scarlet Tides, Unholy War and Ascendant's Rite, and they all follow the stories of characters spread out across Yuros and Antiopia. It is a series written with an omniscient narrator where many characters perspectives are portrayed. Of all the people we are introduced to the main voices that are followed are Alaron Mercer and his best friend Ramon Sensini, both young mages who attended college in Yuros together; Cymbella de Regia, a gyspsy with an unknown mage blood-ranking and is taught by Alaron and Ramon; Elena Anborn, a mage protector of the Nesti family with a dark past; Cera Nesti, a young princess in Javon, Antiopia; Gurvon Gyle, a mage spy with a lot of power in the politics in Yuros; Ramita Ankesharan, a young trader's daughter in Baranasi, Antiopia, who will be wedded to the love of her life, Kazim Makani; and lastly Malevorn Andevarian, a determined pure-blooded mage who desires power to bring his family back from ruin. As we enter the final instalment of David Hair's series, it is finally revealed to us the devastating plan that Living Saint Lucia Sacrecour and her committee have come up with for this crusade. All events from the beginning of the series have led up to this point and astonishingly enough it was all planned. No matter what failures that occurred within their group they were able to come up with contingency plans to lead to their final show of power. What they did not expect was the Scytale of Corineus getting into the hands of Huriya and Malevorn, two souldrinkers with plans to rise above them all and take control of Urte. After a battle between Alaron and Ramita, the souldrinkers were able to secure the Scytale after bargaining Nasatya, Ramita's child, for it. However, Nasatya was still taken as a way to keep them from attacking them in future. While pleading and praying to her God's, a powerful woman from history turns up with all the answers for Alaron and Ramita, and also a blasphemous story that explains the rise of the souldrinkers and the wrongful persecution of her. Her name: Lillea Selene Sorades, better known as Corinea. With her knowledge of the original ambrosia, Alaron is able to concoct enough to create a group of ascendant mages who become known as the Merozain Brotherhood, built on the culture and ideals of the Zain monks. Amongst it all and everything they have been through together, Ramita and Alaron fall in love, and the connection they have built with each other eventually becomes what stops devastation overcoming Urte. Entering the third instalment of David Hair's series, we can feel the tension rising in all story-lines across Urte. The war rages on and the Rondians are being forced back to Yuros with the discovery of Keshi mages, a phenomenon not expected in the Third Crusade. Friendships are split and unlikely relationships form through the need of survival. Running parallel to the devastation of war is the collapse of politics in Antiopia, where usual conventions are challenged by female voices rising above the men's and equality is desired. And then there's the Scytale of Corineus, which is yet to be deciphered and is the key to stopping the corruption that fills Urte as long as it stays in the right hands. It still lies in the hands of Alaron, who is now on the run with Ramita after a fight with the Inquisitor's and souldrinker's that attacked them on the Isle of Glass. Although the Inquisitor's were there to fight Alaron and take the Scytale away for their own gain, the souldrinker's were there for Ramita but are now aware of the powerful artefacts existence. As they begin their unlikely journey together, another emerges when Cymbella finds herself taken prisoner by the souldrinker's and is looked after by the alpha male, Zaqri, and the battle of attraction and vengeance begins between them. Queen Cera Nesti rallies her people behind her to stop the Dorobon from taking full control while Gurvon finds himself under more pressure to succeed after continuous close-calls and failings in Brochena. Ramon and the rest of his rank walk slowly back towards Yuros with the Keshi hot on their trail, and Ramon tries his best not to lose all the gold he has acquired. Amongst it all are Elena and Kazim, souldrinker and mage who have fallen in love and are fighting in the shadows for justice. In David Hair's second instalment, the Leviathan Bridge has risen from the ocean and Rondian forces are on the move to begin the Third Crusade. Following the events from Mage's Blood, the character's are now spread all across Urte and more are introduced as Scarlet Tides expands our perspective on the political corruption and deception that is descending upon them. Cymbella Meiros de Regia has run off with the Scytale of Corineus, a very powerful artefact, in search of her mother, Justina Meiros. Alaron Mercer is now out looking for her with the Inquisition on his trail, his arch-enemy, Malevorn Andevarian, a part of the group hunting him down. Ramon Sensini is placed is Pallacios XIII, a legion known to be filled with rejects and other mages with bad reputations. Ramita in Antiopia is in mourning the death of her husband, Antonin Meiros, while coming to terms with her awakened gnosis through pregnancy. Elena Anborn is controlled by necromancer Rutt Sordell after Cera Nesti betrayed her, thanks to the manipulation of Gurvon Gyle. Then there's Kazim Makani, the souldrinker who killed Antonin for the love of Ramita and is now plagued by his actions, fighting a moral battle between his religion and what he believes is right. This is where our adventure begins in this tantalising sequel. Find yourself catapulted into the fantasy world of Urte, created by David Hair in his first instalment in The Moontide Quartet series: Mage's Blood. There are two continents, Yuros and Antiopia (otherwise known as Ahmedhassa), which have vastly different cultures, perspectives, religions and more that clash and cause conflict when the two meet. Fortunately, they are separated by the sea, making them two separate islands... until the Moontide arrives. This results in the Leviathan Bridge, created by the infamous Antonin Meiros, rising from the sea and creating a pathway for the mages and soliders in Yuros to fight in a crusade to assert dominance, take their gold, and more. Mage's Blood starts before the Third Crusade. There is a focus on the traders and mage students in Yuros, where the traders are preparing to go over the bridge and earn gold and mage student's sitting their final exams to be given their jobs where most will be signed onto different solider groups to fight in the Crusade. Over in Antiopia, the focus is on a royal family being served by a mercenary with a dark history and a low-life market girl who is about to be married off to the love of her life. (Please forgive me for the condition of my book. There was an unfortunate accident on the train that involved a sudden stop and someone falling that resulted in the front being torn.) Originally titled Cien Años de Soledad, Márquez's text gives an insight into post-colonialism in Colombia. It is known to be a difficult text to read, both in it's style and it's subject matter, but it highlights some important themes and is a pinnacle text that popularised the style of magical realism. It is a story that tells about the Buendia family in the fictional village of Macondo and details what happens from the founding of Macondo to 100 years after. It is written with an omniscient narrator, which guides us to see the perspectives of all the Buendia family members. There are quite a number of Buendia's and there is a lot of repetition with the names they are given. This is used to emphasise the cyclical nature of life, with the younger family members thinking and acting the same as their parents or grandparents and their actions resulting in similar consequences. The story also parallels with some historical moments in Colombia, like the Banana Massacre. However, one obvious characteristic of the story is the way it is written, and this is where magical realism comes into play. 27/7/2017 0 Comments The Prince by Niccolò MachiavelliWhat makes a leader? Is it the decisions they make? The opinions of others? The way they can take control of any situation? There are political leaders, business leaders, group leaders, and so many other types of leaders that the list seems never-ending. What if there was a book that told you everything you needed to know about leadership, or at least someone's subjective view on it? Well, there is. However, it is quite infamous for it's radical ideas and many people are torn by the advice that is given. Of course, I am writing about The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. It is a text that was written in the 16th century to advise Lorenzo de Medici on how to rule over his people in an attempt to get out of prison. Machiavelli was a politician and a diplomat during the renaissance, and during his time in this position he communicated and advised a lot of officials. He was regarded to have a strong knowledge on politics and leadership. However, in a bid to be with the stronger family of the time, he started to work for the Borgia's. It was a bad decision since the de Medici's regained their position a few years later and Machiavelli was imprisoned and tortured. With all of his knowledge and years in politics, he wrote this text to get back into the good books of the de Medici's and to advise Lorenzo on his leadership. 25/7/2017 0 Comments Animal Farm by George Orwell'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others' This famous quotation comes from this popular novella. The combination of the genres fable, satire and allegory make it a powerful text filled with lessons to do with revolutions, the naivety of the working-class, societies inclination towards having a hierarchal class system, and corruption through the misuse of power. It is popular amongst high schools and universities to teach how stories can have a major influence over how a person feels or thinks, particularly in regards to historical events. It is also used as an example of political or social commentary, being a text referenced by many people in speeches or essays to persuade and educate their audience. However, take away the layers of literary techniques that forge the allusions to historical events and people and the story is quite a simple one about a group of animals that bear the consequences of revolution in search of a better life on their farm. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead is a six-book young adult, paranormal romance series set in the United States. It intervenes the classic vampire story, categorising them as three different species/hybrids: Moroi (good vampires), Dhampir (good vampire protectors) and Strigoi (bad vampires). The six books in the series are Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, Spirit Bound, and Last Sacrifice. It follows the story of Dhampir and Guardian in training, Rosemarie (Rose) Hathaway, and her best friend and Royal Moroi, Vasilisa (Lissa) Dragomir, a duo with very different personalities but are joined together with a strange connection. The story is mainly located at the fictional St Vladimir's Academy, which is where young Moroi and Dhampir's study and live during the school year. Other characters include Dimitri Belikov (guardian and Rose's love interest), Christian Ozera (shunned royal Moroi and Lissa's love interest), Sonya Karp ('crazy' ex-teacher Moroi turned Strigoi), Adrian Ivashkov (bad-boy addict and another Rose love interest), and Victor Dashkov ('uncle' to Lissa). |
AuthorCharlotte is a reading and writing lover who has completed a creative writing intensive course at the University of Oxford and is a current university student studying a double degree in journalism and creative writing. If you are curious to learn more, check out the 'About' page. Archives
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