Valley of the Archetypes

2007-09-18T18:06:00.001+01:00

The Blogalyser reveals...

Your blog/web page text has an overall readability index of 19.
This suggests that your writing style is intellectual
(to communicate well you should aim for a figure between 10 and 20).
Your text contains 23 sentences, which suggests your general message is distinguished by verbosity
(writing for the web should be concise).

CHARACTER MATRIX

male		female
self		world
past		future

Your text shows characteristics which are 65% male and 35% female
(for more information see the Gender Genie).
Looking at pronoun indicators, you write mainly about the world in general, then your social circle and finally yourself. Also, your writing focuses primarily on the present, next the past and lastly the future.

Find out what your blogging style is like!

Robert Jordan has died.

2007-09-17T13:15:00.000+01:00

"Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain," — The Great Hunt

"That mountain can grow awfully heavy sometimes," Rand sighed, taking a spear and buckler from Rhuarc. "When do you find a chance to put it down awhile?"
"When you die," Lan said simply. — The Shadow Rising

Robert Jordan passed away at 2.45p.m on the 16th of September after a long and valiant struggle against cardiac ambyloidosis. Even though the illness had a median life expectancy of four years Jordan was determined to not only complete his epic Wheel of Time series but also to write several prologues as well as two more trilogies set in a new world (Infinity of Heaven). The indications are that "A Memory of Light" will be completed based on Jordan's considerable notes and outlines.

Jordan led an impressive and fulfilling life. He served two tours in Vietnam where he earned a distinguished flying cross, the bronze star and two Vietnamese Gallantry crosses with palm. After the war he attended the prestigious Citadel where he received his degree in physics. He later served the U.S navy as a nuclear engineer before turning his hand to writing.

Jordan (originally James Oliver Rigney Jr.), was dreaming up his Wheel Of Time Series as early as the late sixties but it should be mentioned that Jordan had made a name for himself as an accomplished author long before "Eye of the World" was released in 1990. Under the pen name of Reagan O'Neal he wrote the "Fallon" trilogy as well as several Conan the Barbarian novels before finally embarking on The "Wheel of Time" saga.

I read "Eye of the World" about three years ago and was immediately hooked. What impressed me most was the depth and detail of the world he created. The history of every nation, the background of every character and the intricacies of every culture were all developed diligently to create a masterpiece of worldbuilding. Jordan once mentioned in an interview that he had over a gigabyte of information just on individual Aes Sedai so it beggars belief to imagine how much "Wheel of Time" data must exist on his hard drive(s). What is rarely mentioned is the strength of his characters. With a cast of dozens it is easy to overlook the few that really stand out but Rand, Perrin and particularly Thom have in my opinion been developed convincingly and realistically. It is a tribute to the late author's skill that such characters still stand out in the midst of the massive and cataclysmic events they are swept up in.
The death has been announced here and discussed here . Pat over at Fantasy Hotlist has posted a short but poignant tribute .
Rest in peace Robert Jordan.

To Make the People Smile Again - George Wheeler

2007-09-14T00:47:00.001+01:00

The Spanish Civil War was one of the most fascinating conflicts ever to have been fought since the first humans learned how to stab each other with pointy rocks. When fascist general Franco rose up against the elected popular front government (a coalition of republicans, liberals, socialists, stalinists, anarchists and dissident communists) the besieged republic looked to volunteers from around the world to protect Spain from the growing menace of fascism. George Wheeler was a working-class Londoner with few strong political convictions but a powerful sense of right and wrong who left his home to fight with the international brigades.

"To Make the People Smile Again" isn't the first memoir of the Spanish civil war to be published, indeed countless such volumes have been written in the six decades since the war's end, and it's certainly not the best. Nevertheless Wheeler's book is certainly worth reading despite it's minor shortcomings.

"To Make the People Smile Again" is written in simple English with short chapters and paragraphs for a nice brisk pace. The book's opening chapter (Wheeler describing himself waiting in a shed to be shot as his comrades are led out to what he believes is their death) immediately hooks the reader, who is intrigued to learn about how the author survived to write this memoir. The book then slips back to a a few months earlier with Wheeler setting off for Spain and recounting his disgust at the policy of non-intervention. Non-intervention was the French and British government's policy of refusing to help the republic, despite the fact that Germany and Italy were supplying the fascists with state of the art weaponry and thousands of soldiers. This was really an attempt to subvert the Spanish democracy and particularly the revolution that had been brutally crushed by the bourgeois and Stalinist elements within the popular front, though that is not mentioned here. Wheeler's utilitarian prose, for all it's simplicity, works extremely well. His short yet evocative descriptions of people and places are more than adequate, without being hugely impressive. His fellow brigadiers in particular are described very well and his humorous anecdotal accounts of these men are especially memorable. This is Wheeler's strongest point and the men he served with, who came from various countries and walks of life, are brought to life with skill.

Whenever any account like this is released it is inevitable that it will be compared to Orwell's "Homage to Catalonia" but where Orwell's book is a masterpiece this is merely an entertaining book. The main difference between this and "..Catalonia" is Wheeler's lack of political sophistication. The July Days and the suppresion of the POUM and anarchists (an event which occured only a few months before Wheeler enlisted) is never mentioned even once. A book on the Spanish Civil War which doesn't mention the revolution at any point is quite frankly a bit of a disgrace and even in Wheeler's strongest moments this never achieves the skill and impact of "Homage to Catalonia". In spite of that, this is a great introduction for anyone who is interested in the Spanish Civil War and the men who fought in it.
Final Verdict: 7/10.

The Changing of the Guard debate.

2007-09-13T00:34:00.000+01:00

Aidan Moher over at A Dribble of Ink has posted several interesting articles on the influx of new fantasy writers such as Scott Lynch and Brian Ruckley (Part 3 is here). Equally interesting is Pat from Fantasy Hotlist's response which you can see here. I'm afraid I have to agree with Pat on this one though there's no doubt that there has never been so many great authors emerging in the field of fantasy writing since the genre's birth.

Revelation - Carol Berg

2007-09-11T19:33:00.000+01:00

Having really enjoyed "Transformation", the first in the Rai-Kirah series, I had very high hopes for "Revelation" and I'm glad to say that for the most part it lived up to my expectations.

"Revelation" is set a year or so after the events in the first book. Seyonne, having regained his homeland and his wife, now finds himself fighting not only the ever present demons but also his people's dogmatic traditions. When Seyonne awakes one morning to find his pregnant wife without child and a conspiracy of silence surrounding what happened to it he is forced to question everything he has been taught since birth. The theme of Seyonne questioning the rigid traditionalism of the Ezzarians was explored somewhat in Transformation (reviewed here) but is done in much greater depth here. The title "Revelation" is particularly apt as this book is loaded with surprises. Pretty much everything we thought we knew from the first book is flipped on it's head, particularly regarding demons and the rai-kirah prophecy and it makes for compulsive reading.

One of the few flaws with this book is the absence of Aleksander, who only appears for a few chapters throughout the entire novel. The Derzhi prince is one of the most interesting characters I've ever read and the relationship that develops between him and Seyonne is the highlight of the series. However while Aleksander is mostly absent we are treated to a few interesting new characters such as Blaise and Balthir. The character of Fiona in particular was a joy to read and I look forward to seeing how her character develops in the final volume.

I should mention that the novel also has some issues with pacing. The opening and closing chapters zip along at a fairly good, brisk pace while those in the demon world (about a third of the book, maybe more) seem to drag a little. This is a minor issue however and barely detracts from the enjoyment of this superbly written, incredibly enjoyable novel. Carol Berg has proven in this series that she has a natural flare for good characters and rich storytelling. Hopefully her other novels can live up to the high standards she has set here.

Final Verdict: 8/10.

ASOIAF quiz

2007-09-11T00:44:00.000+01:00

I'm house Lannister.

54% Dominant, 36% Extroverted, 81% Trustworthy

Confident. Dangerous. Unrelentingly sexy. The master of all you survey, you are of House Lannister.

You are a dominant personality—and how! When someone asks “and who are you, the proud lord said, that I should bow so low?” your response is probably, “FUCK YOU! I’m a fucking LANNISTER, that’s who the HELL I am!” And then you’d pimp-slap them with your golden hand. All joking aside, you view leadership as your natural, god-given right; it is a trait, just like your golden curling hair and irresistible sex appeal. It’s who you are—a Lannister.

You are introverted, meaning that you prefer to keep your ambitions and devices to yourself. Unfortunately, your personality is so vivacious that (despite all your intended secrecies) you are still a very obvious person. Though no one knows what avenues you will travel, your destination is clear to all. And of course, yours is a road to greatness! You have a magnetic, polarizing personality: people either love you or hate you. They also probably find you exceedingly intimidating. Their fear is probably well-placed.

Finally, you are trustworthy. Does this surprise you? Remember your unofficial motto: “A Lannister always pays his debts.” Though you enjoy keeping secrets and playing games, everyone knows you are a major player. Underhanded tactics are so expected from you that they don’t particularly count as untrustworthyness—it’s more of a family legacy than a choice. Your promise is as good as the gold that you shit.

Representative characters include: Tyrion Lannister, Jaime Lannister, and Tywin Lannister

Similar Houses: Greyjoy, Stark, and Targaryen

Opposite House: Tyrell

When playing the game of thrones, you play it balls to the wall.

I've never had the pleasure of reading a song of ice and fire yet (I will eventually though) but my friend informs me that being House Lannister is a good thing. Then he cracked a joke about me being a deformed dwarf, which I didn't really understand. Go to: this link to check it out for yourself.

"Fall Revolution" Review Part 2

2007-07-06T15:19:00.000+01:00

And now I conclude my review of the "Fall Revolution" series.

The Casini Division takes place immediately after the events depicted in "The Stone Canal". The main character, Ellen May, is a member of the elite Cassini Division whose job is to guard the solar system from the people beyond the malley mile, as well as the post-human AIs who dwell on Jupiter.

The Solar Union, where the story is set, contrasts sharply with the unrestrained anarcho-capitalism of New Mars. While Reed and his followers were busy on New Mars the people of Earth endured plagues, wars and attacks from the Jovians. While New Mars is ultra-libertarian, the Solar Union has been built around an ideology known as the true knowledge, a strange form of self-centred communism based on a mix of Marx, Nietszche and Confuscius. The most entertaining part of this book is the inevitable clash between the two vastly different civilisations as Macleod weighs up the advantages and disadvantages of both systems. However in spite of the book's interesting premise and the return of characters like Dee, Reed and Wilde it is easily the weakest in the series. Which isn't to say it's bad, it's just not as good as the other three. The first main flaw is the character of Ellen May. She is extremely difficult to sympathise with and frankly at times it's hard to care about what happens to her. The second is that the novel takes about a hundred pages to get going which is fairly atypical of Macleod. In spite of these minor criticisms I must say that this is a fine novel in the spirit of Ursula LeGuin's "The Dispossessed". Final Verdict: 8/10.

"The Sky Road" is the concluding part of the "Fall Revolution" saga and sees a return to the alternating chapter system of "The Stone Canal". Before I go on I should mention that "The Sky Road" is set in an alternative timeline to the previous two books and is not, as some think, set before the events in "The Cassini Division". That out of the way, I begin the review. "The Sky Road" is original, well-written, compelling and quite simply one of the best books I have ever read. The main plotline is set in Scotland in a strange low-tech future where wandering computer programmers are deeply mistrusted by the majority of society and where humanity is about to make their first attempt at space travel in centuries. The second plotline, focusing on Myra Godwin, a minor character from the earlier novels, explains how this strange future came to be. Both plotlines are helped by the presence of interesting and likeable characters. I should also mention that this book showcases Macleod's abilities as a writer of place and Macleod's descriptions of Scotland are stunning and evocative. This book is a fitting conclusion, tying up loose ends from previous books and the ending is as unexpected as it is poetic. Final Verdict: 10/10.

Well that's it. Now, stop reading my blog and buy these bloody books.

2007-07-01T17:01:00.000+01:00

You Are Heineken

You appreciate a good beer, but you're not a snob about it.
You like your beer mild and easy to drink, so you can concentrate on being drunk.
Overall, you're a friendly drunk who's likely to buy a whole round for your friends... many times.
Sometimes you can be a bit boring when you drink. You may be prone to go on about topics no one cares about.

What's Your Beer Personality?

Surprisingly accurate.

The "Fall Revolution" series by Ken MacLeod

2007-06-29T17:00:00.000+01:00

Writers are usually advised to write about what they know, and what Ken MacLeod knows is politics. A member of various political parties (and sects) over the years and an astute political blogger, this was the area he chose to explore in the Fall Revolution books, a loosely connected series about advanced AI, the third world war and their effect on humanity. I should mention beforehand that this is my favourite Sci Fi series and if I sound a little fanboyish I apologise.

"The Star Fraction" is the first in the series and is admittedly a difficult book to get into. The reader is immediately thrown into the complicated world of mid 21st century Britain, where much of the country has been divided up into various mini-states and political factions all feuding with each other for power and influence while the US/UN maintains control through Space Defence, a system of space-lasers pointed at Earth. Infodumping is virtually non-existent here. The history and science of MacLeod's world is revealed as the book rapidly progresses and it's down to the reader to keep up. This approach has both advantages and potential pitfalls but amazingly (especially considering this was his debut novel), MacLeod pulls it off with gusto. Unfortunately this book's appeal is somewhat limited and the average reader can't honestly be expected to grasp in-jokes like Ted Grant and Tony Cliff following Trotsky through a forest, arguing furiously. Though much of "The Star Fraction" is fairly incomprehensible to anyone without an insider knowledge of far left politics, those who salivate at the thought of Trotskyist mercenaries, Space-Lasers and advanced AI will find an original, witty and exciting read, albeit with the rough edges to be expected of a debut novel. Final Verdict: 9/10 .

The second and arguably best in the series. "The Stone Canal" is set much further in the future than "The Star Fraction" and follows the trials and adventures of the newly resurrected Jonathan Wilde, whose last memory is of his own murder. The narrative is extremely clever and well executed. The chapters alternate between the present (er, future) and the past. The chapters set on New Mars deal with the main plot while the others, set mainly in the 20th and early 21st centuries, fill in many of the gaps regarding the ascendency of the US/UN and the aftermath of the events depicted in "The Star Fraction". This structure of alternating chapters works extremely well. The New Mars chapters introduce us to a strange and complicated future while the chapters set in the past explain how that future came to be. MacLeod uses this approach again in "The Sky Road" (and to a lesser extent in "The Star Fraction" and "The Cassini Division") and it is telling that these are the two best books in the series. "The Stone Canal" is brilliant for it's memorable main characters, particularly Jon Wilde, and interesting setting and unlike the first in the series doesn't require much knowledge of politics, meaning it is far more accessible. Final Verdict: 10/10.

That's it for the first two books. "The Casini Division" and "The Sky Road" will be reviewed within the next few days.

"Transformation" by Carol Berg

2007-06-28T19:17:00.000+01:00

Most fantasy books in recent times can pretty much be divided into two categories, sprawling multi-POV epics like A Game of Thrones and The Wheel of Time (The Jordan School) and more intimate character driven fantasy (The Hobb School). Transformation definetely falls into the latter category. It focuses on only two characters, Seyonne and Aleksander, but unlike most fantasy authors, Berg develops her characters extensively and realistically. The enjoyment from reading this book comes not from the events depicted but from watching Aleksander grow from a spoilt and cruel princeling into a loyal and sympathetic character and Seyonne regain his dignity after years of slavery.

This book is ideal for anyone who wants a light read that doesn't lack depth or complexity. Transformation is fairly short (about 400 pages) and it's Arabian setting, though original and well realised, isn't explored in detail. Once again the characters are the most important factor and characters are to Berg what battle scenes are to Salvatore. Seyonne and Aleksander are flawed, multi-faceted and entertaining and Berg successfully avoids the archetypes this blog so abhorrs. I should also mention that Carol Berg comes second only to Robin Hobb in her mastery of the first person POV and it serves her well here.

It's hard to find anything negative to say about "Transformation" (except it's horrible cover art). It certainly isn't groundbreaking or particularly original but it is an entertaining and well written book and is perfect for anyone who doesn't want to begin yet another 12-book epic. Highly recommended

Final Verdict: 8/10

And so the journey begins.........

2007-06-28T18:35:00.000+01:00

Hello, I'm the first post. This blog will be dedicated to literature, be it literary fiction, biography, history, politics or fantasy. The title comes from writer and critic Charles Von Rospach and goes: "And lo, though I travel through the valley of the archetypes, I shall fear no evil, for I know that the author can't kill me off for at least another 150 pages, no matter how stupid or trite I become, or he ruins the book." Wise words indeed.