Thus, it is complete. For now anyway. Le Guin claims this is the end of the cycle, that this is Earthsea. But I don't know if I believe her. Maybe I jThus, it is complete. For now anyway. Le Guin claims this is the end of the cycle, that this is Earthsea. But I don't know if I believe her. Maybe I just don't want to believe her. I'm not sure she can stay away, and I'm thinking (hoping) that someday soon we'll see a return to the Archipelago, and the magic of Earthsea.
When I first read A Wizard of Earthsea, not long ago really, I commented on the Balance of the world. A balance that must be carefully maintained. Over the course of this series that balance has been skewed, slowly but surely. In The Other Wind an attempt is made to finally restore that Balance. And it is a good story.
I'm leaving this one with 4 stars, though I think it would also fit the 3.5 that I've left the previous two with. I enjoy these stories, and I'm glad to have read them. But there was always something keeping me from a 5 star rating. I really can't put my finger on it, but I feel it. It's something about the way the story is told. I've tried to put it into words in my other reviews of the series but found that I couldn't. I still can't, but this is my last change to try. The closest I can get is to say that it feels almost impersonal at times, like you're too far above the characters and situations playing out. As I said though, I can't really put what I mean into words, so this isn't entirely accurate. Especially because I feel like I can easily contradict myself by staying that these stories are very personal at times. The stories of Ged, Tenar, Lebannen, Tehanu, Alder, Ogion, Irian, and the rest are personal ones. So what do I mean? I'm really not sure. Maybe I will be able to better articulate it after some future reread. But for now know that I am satisfied with my stay in Earthsea, and hope to return....more
2020-09-15: Nearly three years since I last read this and it was so much fun paying a visit to Lift and Wyndle in the Cosmere. I always somehow forget2020-09-15: Nearly three years since I last read this and it was so much fun paying a visit to Lift and Wyndle in the Cosmere. I always somehow forget just how many fun little tidbits and clues Brandon sprinkles throughout his stories. This is especially true, I think, of a novella like Edgedancer because Brandon seems to be a bit more relaxed when he's outside of a "core series" installment and can show off new areas or underdeveloped characters (like Lift and Nale).
Edgedancer does an excellent job of filling what would otherwise be a gap in continuity for both of those characters in the lead-up to Oathbringer, where both of the, are significantly changed in comparison to when we last saw them in Words of Radiance. Plus, I just love Lift. There are many who find her character a bit out of place in the Stormlight Archive (mainly referring to her interlude in Words of Radiance), but I would urge those readers to give her story here a chance. Brandon displays the emotional complexity that exists within her (something I had almost forgotten about) and does so with a very light, humorous hand. It's nice to be in a playful mood while still being within the Cosmere and dealing with important events that affect the "main story". So not only do we get lots of Lift and Wyndle as well as more Nale, we get a special Szeth appearance, our first real look at a Dysian Aimian, an encounter in the Everstorm, and of course, lots and lots of pancakes (and a Shardfork to eat them with to boot).
It was fun to revisit in the lead-up to my Oathbringer reread and the release of Dawnshard and Rhythm of War.
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2017-10-28: Look, it's quite simple. The more Cosmere books the better. More specifically, the more Stormlight Archive books the better. Especially at a time like this, with Oathbringer on the horizon and Sanderson fans such as myself chomping at the bit to read it.
This particular addition to the universe follows a character who I love; one who hasn't had much screentime yet in the main series, but will undoubtedly play an important role in the future. Lift. Her Pancakefulness. An Edgedancer. We follow her escapades in Tashikk, as she becomes awesome all through the city of Yeddaw and finds herself biting off a little more than she can chew... Maybe. She can chew a lot.
We also have two other familiar characters make an appearance. Maybe not too surprising considering the story follows Lift, but I'll spoiler tag them here anyway. (view spoiler)[Nale and Szeth! (hide spoiler)] Seeing them again was a treat. And the story really did feel like an integral piece of the Stormlight puzzle. Brandon nailed it (as always) and it was the perfect primer for Stormlight 3....more
This was not a typical read for me, to say the least. This was one of those guilty pleasure books that you don't actually feel guilty about reading. WThis was not a typical read for me, to say the least. This was one of those guilty pleasure books that you don't actually feel guilty about reading. Whatever it is you call those.. Oh, right. A pleasure.
Looking for Alaska is about high school junior Miles Halter who abandons his familiar, if somewhat uneventful, life in Orlando in favor of Culver Creek boarding school in Alabama. Having been somewhat sheltered in Florida he is almost immediately in over his head when he arrives. Taken under the wing of Chip (the Colonel) Martin and Alaska Young, the exact type of kids his parents warned him about, he is off to seek his Great Perhaps.
John Green has that knack prevalent in storytellers that comes with succinct, flowing prose. It makes his work especially readable, and the pages fly before you.
Looking for Alaska is one of those stories that I consider to be universal. Anyone can pick this up, read it, and take something away from it. Something about love. Something about loss. About forgiveness, or friendship. It is a very human story, and I think those are the best kind....more
Another 3.5 stars for this installment of Earthsea.
Tales from Earthsea is, as the title suggests, a book of short fiction. Le Guin treats us to five sAnother 3.5 stars for this installment of Earthsea.
Tales from Earthsea is, as the title suggests, a book of short fiction. Le Guin treats us to five short stories and they are all of them well told. They each take place in a different period of time in Earthsea's long history, ranging from further back than we've ever been up to a period of time that seems to be between Tehanu and the upcoming sixth novel.
While I enjoyed some more than others (I think The Bones of the Earth may have been my favorite), all the stories were worth reading. There was a story about the founding of the school on Roke, one about a wizard who'd rather be a musician, a story about Ogion's first teacher, a tale of a cattle curer who was once much more, and lastly the story Dragonfly which as I mentioned seems to catch us back up with the present time in Earthsea. A time when there are great changes afoot, and the Balance of Earthsea itself must be reattained.
Orb Sceptre Throne, my latest foray into the world of Malazan, will sit right next to Stonewielder in my mental rankings at a snug 3.5 stars.
OST takesOrb Sceptre Throne, my latest foray into the world of Malazan, will sit right next to Stonewielder in my mental rankings at a snug 3.5 stars.
OST takes place after the events in Toll the Hounds, and explores the aftermath those events caused in the City of Blue Flame, Darujhistan. It answers a lot of questions that I had while reading Toll. Even some questions that I'd forgotten I had were brought to light and expanded upon, which was nice and is sort of what ICE has been doing this entire series. In true Malazan fashion however, questions remain.
As is always the case on my return visits to this world, it was nice to see some familiar faces. The Krul's Bar Bridgeburners, Kruppe, Rallick Nom, Traveller, Caladan Brood, Torvald Nom, Kiska, Leff and Scorch (two of my favorites), and a host of new characters as well. On occasion I think that ICE can't quite keep up with the precedent Erikson has set with some of these characters (Kruppe comes to mind), but nevertheless it is fun to read about them.
Like Stonewielder there were some sections of the story that I enjoyed quite a bit (the Seguleh/Moranth plot line for example), and others that sort of just fell flat. I maintain the opinion that ICE would benefit from cutting his viewpoint character down. By a lot. He switches POV so often that things can end up feeling rushed or sloppy. Not always. Sometimes he does have some very compelling moments in which he flips from one viewpoint to another (the charge comes to mind, readers will know). But nonetheless, I think his stories would benefit from a more focused view. I also still feel the need to comment on ICE's need for another round of editing/proofreading. This is something I've mentioned before in a review of one of these books, and the problem is back in force with OST. I'm not sure if it is unique to the Kindle edition (I don't see why it would be) or what, but there are too many instances of missing words or spelling/grammatical errors. A few here and there is okay, and not very surprising, but there were enough here to make me notice. And that shouldn't happen.
Complaints aside, Orb Sceptre Throne is a fun story in the Malazan series, ending in a convergence worthy of the name. The Seguleh story was by far my favorite, and I'm really hoping to read more about that in the final two books. ...more
This book reminds me of another book that I enjoyed. That being "On Writing" by Stephen King. It's sort of funny. When I first read "On Writing" I kneThis book reminds me of another book that I enjoyed. That being "On Writing" by Stephen King. It's sort of funny. When I first read "On Writing" I knew nothing of Stephen King's writing, I had not yet read any of it. It was a strange thing to read an author's book on writing without ever having read any of that authors actual writing. Be that as it may, I really enjoyed it. And now I've done it again.
This is, strangely enough, my first Ray Bradbury book. As was the case with King's book however, it didn't detract from the experience. You can sense from this book Bradbury's passion behind his writing, just as you could King's. This is a man who has spent his lifetime writing because it's what he loves to do. So naturally he has written a book about that writing. I have a feeling that, just like King, this little book will propel me forward into Bradbury's writing and that I have some wonderful future-experiences ahead of me....more
I am considering this one a 3.5 star rating. I enjoyed Tehanu more so than The Farthest Shore, but not quite as much as A Wizard of Earthsea or The ToI am considering this one a 3.5 star rating. I enjoyed Tehanu more so than The Farthest Shore, but not quite as much as A Wizard of Earthsea or The Tombs of Atuan.
Speaking of The Tombs of Atuan, I was very pleased to be reacquainted with Tenar, some 25 years after we left her in that book. I was pleased to see that she found a simple life on Gont, away from the terror and blind fanaticism that was her experience on Atuan. In this, Tehanu is a different story. It is slower paced than the books preceding it, but I found that it didn't suffer for this. Quite the opposite. Tenar (as well as Therru, Ogion, Ged, and a few other side characters on the island) is interesting to read about whether she is escaping pitch black labyrinthine depths, or whether she is planting peach trees and sewing a new red dress.
Now, that isn't to say that Tehanu is without conflict; on the contrary the plot is engaging and wrapped up nicely at the end, satisfyingly, and with room for more stories (I'm especially looking forward to the Other Wind). And in true Le Guin fashion she raises many worthwhile topics of conversation in these pages.; especially the focus on a woman's 'place' in Earthsea. Things are changing in the islands of Earthsea, and as far as I can see, for the better. Her prose is as efficient as ever, and every once in a while she hits you with one of those short little passages that is so intricately beautiful that you can't help but stop and read it again. There are a couple of those throughout. ...more
Charming and intensely readable, As You Wish is a must-read for any fan of The Princess Bride (either the book or the movie, though this of course focCharming and intensely readable, As You Wish is a must-read for any fan of The Princess Bride (either the book or the movie, though this of course focuses on the making of the film).
I think that The Princess Bride has one of the most loving fandoms of any work of fiction out there, and Cary Elwes does a great job at not only filling us in on little bits of the magic happening behind the scenes, but recruiting other cast members to do the same. This book is full of funny little stories and tidbits that fill a fan with joy, and I'm glad to have read it. I especially enjoyed the bits about the late Andre the Giant, who seemed just as much a giant of personality as he was a giant of a man. ...more
'Believe me, they were magicians, and they knew the power of ideas... They knew how to set ideas growing and developing in people's minds.'
As Robert B'Believe me, they were magicians, and they knew the power of ideas... They knew how to set ideas growing and developing in people's minds.'
As Robert Bauval indicates above, ideas are powerful things. This book is full of them.
I was first introduced to Graham Hancock through the podcasts of Duncan Trussell and Joe Rogan. Graham appears as a guest on each of those podcasts several times, and I found the conversations that ensued very interesting. Graham talked a lot about his experience with psychedelic drugs, his research as a journalist, and the possibility of a lost civilization on this planet, stretching back further than is currently accepted by orthodox science. These and other esoteric topics filled Hancock with passion, and hearing that he was an author I was immediately inspired to seek out one of his books. Thus, Fingerprints of the Gods.
Though it took me a while to read (sometimes it is hard to pick up what is at times a research book when the other books you're reading have dragons and people that can fly in them) I really enjoyed this book. The section on the Earth's precession was especially interesting, as I had no prior knowledge of this process (no real knowledge anyway, it may have been mentioned in high school) as were the sections on the Ancient Egyptians and the cryptic, mysterious wonders they (may have) built.
Hancock raises many points throughout this book that I found somewhat convincing, and at the very least worth exploring. However, just because I find these points interesting doesn't mean that I'm blind to the fact that there are scientists and other professionals out there who have their own view and explanations of these points and could likely present them in a way that I find convincing as well (although Graham presents many orthodox scientists and Egyptologists as stubborn and unwilling to consider new findings, and I would not be surprised to find that this is the case; no one likes being proven wrong). Here's the thing; I didn't pick up this book in order to be convinced beyond a doubt what the facts are, thinking that Graham Hancock magically has all the answers. Rather, I picked it up because i think the conversation is worth having. Because if there is one thing I'm certain of it's that we do not know everything there is to know about mankind's ancient past. We simply don't. Anyone convinced that there is no mystery left in the world is shutting their eyes.
So I say bravo to Graham Hancock. For following his passion and having the courage to think for himself. For questioning everything, and for researching with critical and open eyes. I'd like to read more of his work in the future....more
The Tao of Cheese is, as the back cover suggests, a series of short stories, essays, and tales of adventure arising from and inspired on Cheese tour. The Tao of Cheese is, as the back cover suggests, a series of short stories, essays, and tales of adventure arising from and inspired on Cheese tour. And it is a lovely little book.
For those totally unfamiliar, this is a book about the String Cheese Incident, jam band extraordinaires, who mix bluegrass, trance, funk, jazz, and rock n' roll into one eclectic amalgamation of sound, sight, and dance. An Incident is not something one easily forgets, as any attendee will tell you. And any fanatic of live musical improvisation who has not yet bent their ear toward SCI is doing themselves a disservice.
As a fan of the band this book reaches me in a very personal way, and as a fan of jam music at large, and the scene that surrounds it, the stories told here are all very relatable. There is a level of love, energy, and camaraderie within the jam scene that any fan can tell you all about, and many of the stories found within this book are in direct connection with experiences of my own over the years. I feel that someone outside of that scene, a non-fan for example, that picked up this book wouldn't get quite as much out of it (though, I don't know that this book is even for sale anywhere, as I bought it at a Cheese show) however I would hope that the stories within would inspire them to attend a show near them. Whether that be String Cheese or any other band in which a cohesive energy and vibration can be felt by the crowd, and beautiful music is made.
Of the three Malazan Empire novels that I've read so far I would place Stonewielder right in the middle. I enjoyed it more so than Night of Knives, anOf the three Malazan Empire novels that I've read so far I would place Stonewielder right in the middle. I enjoyed it more so than Night of Knives, and less so than Return of the Crimson Guard. It was a solid read though, and a worthy addition to the Malazan world. Hell, the more books in this universe the better in my opinion. I'm just glad to get to spend more time here.
It wasn't without its faults. I thought there were significant portions of the plot that moved very slowly, or felt a little too meandering overall. I think a portion of this had to do with my inability to connect with some of the POV characters. This actually brings to mind something that occurred to me about ICE as I was reading this. I would not be surprised to learn that his preferred method of storytelling is something other than that of multi-POV epic. Part of me feels like ICE would better serve his readers if he focused in a bit more, and cut it down to a few points of view, but that he felt obligated to present the story in the same way that Erikson did. Now I could be way off here of course, but in my opinion ICE's writing would benefit from that.
Faults aside, as I said, I enjoyed Stonewielder. And I'm excited to see what the next installment brings. The ending was strong and suggested that many characters I enjoyed here have more to their story ahead. Consider this one 3.5 stars....more
In Borne (the second of VanerMeer's novels I've read; I really need to get back to the Southern Reach tWell, Joe Abercrombie is a tough act to follow.
In Borne (the second of VanerMeer's novels I've read; I really need to get back to the Southern Reach trilogy) Jeff has created an interesting world. I will give him that. We are witness to the aftermath of a city (and seemingly surrounding world) that has seen civilization collapse. Remnants of a facility known only as The Company loom large in the city, as do their perverse biotechnological creations. Among these is Mord, a giant flying bear who reigns over the city like some bizarre monarchical predator. Sound interesting? Well it is. And VanderMeer is a talented writer. Unfortunately however, while I enjoyed the building of Borne and Rachel's relationship, I had a hard time connecting with his characters.
I'm not sure if it was the first-person viewpoint, or if it was coming off of a fresh read by character master Joe Abercrombie, but I just didn't find much to relate to in Rachel, nor in Wick. Their story interested me but I was sort of just letting it pass over me instead of becoming fully immersed. I think my most accurate rating for Borne would be 2.5 stars - I liked some it, and some of it was just okay.
Be that as it may I'll definitely be reading more of Jeff in the future....more
'Our lives are like the wind... Or like sounds. We come into being, resonate with each other... Then fade away.'
I really shouldn't be surprised at how'Our lives are like the wind... Or like sounds. We come into being, resonate with each other... Then fade away.'
I really shouldn't be surprised at how much I enjoyed this book, but I guess it speaks to Hayao Miyazaki's immense talents that he can still surprise me. The man is a master. One of the most intensely creative minds that I know of, and up until now I had consumed his work only in his animated films. Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle.. Yeah, you've probably heard of him. Having never seen the movie adapted from this manga all the way through, I was excited to dive into a Miyazaki world with somewhat fresh eyes.
Miyazaki has built a truly incredible world here, you get a sense of that from the very beginning; and his artwork brings it all to life in a way that only he can. One thousand years ago humanity engaged in a war termed the Seven Days of Fire which left the planet reeling and largely destroyed. As a result the world has been contaminated by the aptly titled Sea of Corruption -- a massive forest of poisonous spores and giant insects which thrives and spreads wherever the spores touch. Just one breath of these spores can kill, so the remnants of humanity have settled outside of the Sea's clutches, in areas where the spores cannot reach. One such area is the Valley of the Wind, home of our protagonist Nausicaa. And what a character she is. She who still feels the bond between humanity and nature, understands love for all living things even when the natural world has become a thrashing pool of hostility. She understands that the natural world will persist. It was there before human beings, and it will be there after. And she does anything and everything she can to protect it. This leads her on a wild journey through a war-ravaged country, and envelops her in secrets lost to humanity..
Speaking of the ravaging of war, Miyazaki fans will not be surprised to find a deep and complex relationship between two opposing sides; the Torumekians and the Doroks. Nor will they be surprised to find many satisfying aerial combat scenes (Miyazaki has a thing for fighter planes). The battle scenes in this book are surprising in their brutality and realism, even in a book with giant insects and telepathic power. Some of the panels do get a little busy and cluttered, but these moments are far outweighed by the beautiful and detailed artwork.
Strong female characters are basically a Miyazaki trademark, so it is no surprise that the two best characters here are Nausicaa and Kushana. One who commands the love and respect of everyone around her, and one who demands the loyalty and adoration of the same. That is not to say that the other characters are negligible; Mito, Master Yupa, Asbel, Ketcha, Chikuku, Miralupa, Ohma.. Miyazaki instills personality into all of his characters. Even the small ones.
I can't say enough good things about this book. It went right up on my favorites shelf and I'd already like to read it again, since I read 1000 pages of it and it still wasn't enough. Even the book itself is beautiful. I bought the complete edition on Amazon (for a very fair price) and it is gorgeous. It came in two hardcover books with their own slipcase, full color artwork on the cover and on the first few pages of each volume, and a two-sided poster of Nausicaa and Teto. It is well made and feels like it will last. Which is a good thing since I now want to force my friends to read it as well so it is sure to pass through many sets of hands.
In summation and to cease my rambling, Hayao Miyazaki is a special creator. You owe it to yourself to not only read this manga, but to dive into his animated works as well. I've never finished a work of his and been disappointed. I don't expect I ever will....more
For as short as this book is, it packs a lot of worthwhile information. Many of these ideas are not new, however I think that anyone could benefit froFor as short as this book is, it packs a lot of worthwhile information. Many of these ideas are not new, however I think that anyone could benefit from them. I'd recommend it. If nothing else I expect that reading it will at least change the way you think about certain things. How you view 'chaos' for example. Perhaps you will see that certain events are not as 'random' as they appear to be, and that new and beautiful experiences are being created out of chaotic influence seemingly everywhere you look. 'Chaos is nature's creativity' as Briggs says.
Worth reading, and I'd like to check out Briggs' other book on Fractals....more
This is tough for me to rate. Surprisingly (given my enjoyment of the first two installments) I am between two and three stars for it. I decided on thThis is tough for me to rate. Surprisingly (given my enjoyment of the first two installments) I am between two and three stars for it. I decided on three stars because I think that my consuming this in the audio book format may have hindered my enjoyment. There were several passages that I could tell were the type of thing I would normally stop and ponder for a while, or give some extra thought to, but given that it was the audio book I sort of just kept on rolling and let these potentially powerful moments pass me by.
Audio books are interesting, and I still can't decide if they are for me or not. I think when I've got a book that is short and sweet like Siddartha was, that's my perfect audio book. I also suspect that I would enjoy non-fiction reading in the audio format. Who knows, I might just need more practice. In any case I'm still looking forward to the next Earthsea installment....more
I'm happy to report that my second experience with an audio book was a great success compared to my first. I had to make a trip up to our main branch I'm happy to report that my second experience with an audio book was a great success compared to my first. I had to make a trip up to our main branch Thursday/Friday, about a six hour round trip. Knowing how short this book was I thought this would be the perfect time to read (listen to) it. And I was correct!
I was originally worried that I had waited too long on this book, that it wouldn't have as much of an effect on me as it would have during more formative years of my life, however that was not the case. There's something about this book that fills you up. Beyond experiencing Siddhartha's journey. Beyond watching him grow, and change, and fail, and fall deep into despair. There is something beyond the words. Something that in only one hundred pages Herman Hesse makes you understand, and feel intuitively, internally. This book makes you slow down, I think. Makes you stop seeking wisdom, which is something that can't be taught anyway. Rather, it can only be experienced. Only felt. Siddhartha understands this at the end, and by proximity reveals something to Govinda about love, and oneness, that only a journey of Siddhartha's kind could produce.
Wonderful book. I'd love to read more of Hesse....more
Though I've rated them both four stars, I enjoyed The Tombs of Atuan even more so than I did A Wizard of Earthsea. Le Guin's poetically descriptive prThough I've rated them both four stars, I enjoyed The Tombs of Atuan even more so than I did A Wizard of Earthsea. Le Guin's poetically descriptive prose is back in force here, and she weaves another great tale. A tale about a young girl who attempts to cope with her predestined role in life, different and apart from all those who surround her.
Both of these first two books in the Earthsea series have been, in one way or another, journeys of self-discovery (which, if you can empathize with the character embarking on said journey, is a very fine thing for a reader). And what's interesting about this, in this case, is that the character who underwent his own journey of self-discovery in the first book, is now the catalyst of discovery for our protagonist in this one. It's well done, and I look forward to reading the third book....more
Hunter S. Thompson... I once read a truly excellent biography on the man, and as a result it feels like I've read more of his work than I really have.Hunter S. Thompson... I once read a truly excellent biography on the man, and as a result it feels like I've read more of his work than I really have. Aside from Fear and Loathing in Vegas (which it doesn't appear I've actually rated on here) this is it. Now then.
A Strange and Terrible Saga. A very 'Hunter' phrase, and a fitting one to headline this book, seeing as how it is entirely accurate. This book, like the Angels as a whole, is as hellish and disturbing as it is fascinating. The objectivity with which it is written (while admirable) actually comes off as somewhat despicable as one learns more and more about the Angels. Perhaps they got a bad rap in the national media; that may be true. Maybe the things they were constantly accused of did not happen nearly as often, or in just the way that government officials would have you believe. But rest assured, these were some bad men. I can't help but see many parallels between the Sons of Anarchy television show and the antics and endeavors of the Hell's Angels. If you have ever been disturbed by the brutality present in that show (not that it wasn't one of my favorite dramas on TV), then believe me you will be just as shaken when you find out it could easily have happened in 1960's Oakland.
All that being said I liked the book. At times it felt repetitive (probably due to it originally being an article, later expanded to this length), but not so much so that I lost interest. As I mentioned before the Angels are fascinating, a breed entirely of their own. And Hunter Thompson is the perfect journalist to cover them. I'm not sure many others could make it out alive, as deeply entrenched in their circle as he was.
As always, Hunter can turn a damn phrase. He has a way of describing the bizarre that turns it into the mystical. I always come away feeling inspired after reading his work, his prose is just that good....more
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. I'd been meaning to read this book for years. Like all things of expectation, it wasn't what I thought it would be. WThe Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. I'd been meaning to read this book for years. Like all things of expectation, it wasn't what I thought it would be. What ever is, really?
I struggled early with Wolfe's prose. He came off as incredibly ranty, and needlessly verbose, in a sometimes distracting way. He used a lot of hyphens, ellipses, and strange punctuation. (ex: "the lime:::::light::::::"). After some time however I realized that this wasn't how he writes all the time, but rather an attempt to fit his writing to the subject at hand. At first I thought this was somewhat obnoxious, but as I went on I grew more used to it. And besides getting used to it, there were flashes of genuine brilliance in there as well. I mean some situations were described with such accuracy, insight, and understanding that I was really blown away. These particular portions of the book were, I'm sure, heavily influenced by interviewing primary sources, but regardless Wolfe penned it well.
I was appreciative of the fact that throughout the book Wolfe didn't focus solely on the positive and made it clear that there were conflicting interests among even the Pranksters. When in situations like this not everything is happy happy joy joy let's eat acid and mellow out. Interests don't ALWAYS run in the same direction, and when you have someone like Kesey (who is basically a lodestone of the psychedelic variety) running the show there are bound to be rifts and doubts between people. This is a natural thing and I'm glad Wolfe addressed it.
I think the best thing to say about this book is that it made me think. Long and hard, sometimes. I found myself reading passages from it and then gazing into the distance in some deep contemplation about anything and everything. The book would spark a thought in me that would turn into a full fledged reflection, maybe even far beyond the points that the book brought up in the first place. Good writing does that I suppose.
I will say that I didn't like the way the book ended. It was somewhat anti-climactic in that it sort of just fizzled and went out. Though, I guess you could say the same thing of the Merry Pranksters. There is allegory in that, like so much else in that long, strange trip to go Furthur. COSMO!...more
This is an excellent set of stories, and Gaiman is nothing if not an excellent storyteller. I did not have much to compare this book to, as I'm relatiThis is an excellent set of stories, and Gaiman is nothing if not an excellent storyteller. I did not have much to compare this book to, as I'm relatively unfamiliar with the Norse Myths, but I think I enjoyed it even more as a result. It is highly readable, one story at a time or stringing several together, and put me in mind of an old favorite of mine; Howard Pyle's 'Twilight Land' another set of old tales. Both invoke that sense of wonder that one has when reading a good story for the first time. Funny enough, I was recently reminded of Twilight Land by none other than Neil Gaiman while reading his Sandman series.
Great book, and one that I think it will be easy to return to time and again in the future....more
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