Ghosts: Recent Hauntings
Attention Book Nerds:
Today, I received an e-mail alert for one of my favorite authors; Neil Gaiman! The alert is for an anthology of ghost stories that he has contributed to called, Ghosts: Recent Hauntings.
“The spirits of the dead have walked among our legends, myths, and stories since before recorded history. Ghostly visitations, hauntings, unquiet souls seeking the living, vengeful wraiths, the possibility of life beyond the grave that can somehow reach out and touch us are some of literature’s most enduring icons. Now, in the twenty-first century, we are no less fascinated with phantoms than our cave-dwelling ancestors or our Victorian-age forebears. Thirty modern masters of fright and fantasy fill this anthology with shivers, chills, and spooky explorations of both sides of the veil. Be prepared to keep a light on all night!”
Don’t get too excited, this collection has 29 reprinted short stories (whomp whomp) and one grim original by Stephen Graham Jones titled “Uncle”.
That shouldn’t discourage you though. I have perused the list of authors and this anthology is pretty promising. Tim Powers for example wrote “On Stranger Tides” which was used as inspiration for the most recent Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Also the author of Bubba Ho-Tep Joe R. Lansdale has a story included. Lots more (including Gaiman goodness) after the jump. Read More…
Day Two of the Kingkiller Chronicles: The Wise Man’s Fear
The Wise Man’s Fear
As you may have read I recently finished the first book in the Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy. I was so impressed that I finished the second book; The Wise Man’s Fear, shortly after and have been trying to put into words what I thought about it. Kvothe develops greatly in this installment and it is hard to sum up because he feels like different people throughout the story.
To recap this trilogy is based on the true telling of the main hero Kvothe’s life. He recounts his life over three days (three books) to Chronicler, a traveling scribe, in order to have the truth out in the world instead of the lavish exaggerated tales. The world in which Kvothe lives contains science, magic and adventure. He attends the university (there is only one) and learns sympathy; a form of alchemical magic. This magic proves most useful in many of his adventures and helps to mold his legend.
This particular installment is filled with Mercenaries, the Fae, Sympathy and so much action you feel a bit dizzy at times. This story has a great message that is used to further the story and helps to develop Kvothe. The thing that keeps this story exciting is that Kvothe is one person in the present who is obviously lost spiritually and in the past is just a boy who is learning about life through his mistakes and amazing adventures. Neither one of these versions of our protagonist is fully realized and it is exciting to ponder where he may end up by the end.
What I got from this story… (Spoilers ahead) Read More…
Sacre Bleu: A Comedy D’Art
In July 1890, Vincent Van Gough went into a cornfield and shot himself. Or did he? Why would an artist at the height of his creative powers attempt to take his own life… and then walk a mile to a doctor’s house for help? Who was the crooked little “color man” Vincent had claimed was stalking him across France? And why had the painter recently become deathly afraid of a certain shade of blue?
A magnificent “Comedy d’Art” from the author of Lamb, Fool, and Bite Me, Moore’s Sacré Bleu is part mystery, part history (sort of), part love story, and wholly hilarious as it follows a young baker-painter as he joins the dapper Henri Toulouse-Lautrec on a quest to unravel the mystery behind the supposed “suicide” of Vincent van Gogh.
Click to read what I thought.
Day One of the Kingkiller Chronicles: The Message
So as you may have seen previously I am reading the Kingkiller Chronicles Trilogy. I finished Day One yesterday and was so impressed with the whole story. Instead of recounting the story I thought I would tell you what I got from it. So yeah…. here we go.
Thar’ be spoilers ahead…
The Name of the Wind: The Kingkiller Chronicle Book One
What I’m reading….
Last year I took on the A Song of Ice and Fire series by Geroge R.R. Martin. This series has spanned over two decades and has yet to conclude, although the author mercifully tells us that the series will be completed in two more installments. That being said GRRM is not one to rush his writing and I am left five books in with no release date in sight for the sixth book!
I shared this plight with a fellow ASoIaF reader and he recommended that I try reading Patrick Rothfuss’ fantasy trilogy The Kingkiller Chronicle. Here is a quick plot summary:
The Kingkiller Chronicle is a fantasy trilogy by Patrick Rothfuss, telling the autobiography of Kvothe (pronounced like “Quoth” but with a v), an adventurer, arcanist, and famous musician. The plot is divided into two different action threads: the present, where Kvothe tells the story of his life to Devan Lochees (known as Chronicler) in the main room of his inn, and Kvothe’s past, the story in question, which comprises the majority of the books. The present-day interludes are in the third person from the perspective of multiple characters, while the story of Kvothe’s life is told entirely in the first person from his own perspective. The series also contains many metafictional stories-within-stories from varying perspectives, most of which are recounted by Kvothe, having been heard from other characters in his past.
I have just started this book, but I am already about 30% of the way through. I would give you a specific page number, but I am both reading the paperback and listening to the audiobook so my placing is a little off. The world that Rothfuss has created is very much a parallel to ours, but it contains magic and takes place in a more adventurous setting. I am completely drawn in by this story and I highly recommend listening to the audio version if you are able to. The narrator gives each mini story such life, also this story has a few songs which are better in audio.
I am excited to get through the rest and will be posting updates as I make my way through.
Are you reading this book or have you read this before? Let me know what to look forward to.
Call Yourself A Nerd 