What I'm Reading, What I've Read

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the Kings by J. R. R. Tolkien

I did it. I finally finished it. I started the series in June, and seven months later, I finished. I got burned out at the beginning of this book and had to take a long break, but I made it, and I’m so glad I did.

It took me so long that I couldn’t really give an accurate representation of my impressions anymore, but I will say I enjoyed it thoroughly, especially the part back in the Shire. It was wonderful for them to get to see how their experience had helped them grow. So few people get that. It made me feel like I had something to offer in the way of wisdom, and I don’t have any sort of experience! And I’m really excited for all the historic appendices in the back. Tumblr has helped me get a bunch of the base facts down enough through reiteration that I feel like I can actually follow a lot better than i would have been able to otherwise, and it’s interesting linguistically to watch the names evolve and change over time. (Especially since Tolkien never mentions it outright so I can make my own theories and see how they do.)

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

This book had the potential to be great. It did not fulfill that potential, but it possessed it. The story was interesting, some of the plot twists were clever, and the dialogue was very funny at times, if a bit ostentatious everywhere else. And honestly, the things I dislike about the book are entertaining enough that they were in themselves great fun. The metaphors and imagery were immature and clumsy. the attempts to establish the time frame (which is the 1870s) are superficial, and the author fails to present the views of the day in a well thought out fashion. There are too many undeveloped fantasy aspects. The romance was predictable from the first introductions. The continuity errors and prose are so obvious it’s very little effort to pick them out. The writing of this book was a trainwreck, but in the end I enjoyed lightheartedly mocking the problems more than I did the vapid and cliched melodrama. In summation, this book was like a good B-movie: The good parts were good, but the bad parts were amazing. Definitely worth a read for the fantasy fan and the lit snob both.

The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Two Towers is every bit as amazing as the first book. I have to admit, I got a little lost in some of the descriptions, but I’ve never been one for descriptions anyway. When the action came I got so sucked in that it more than made up for any previous lapse of attention. It doesn’t hurt that the end is filled with Sam, who being my favorite character can only leave a favorable impression.

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

This is not the first time I’ve read this book, but it will be the first time I finish the Trilogy. I got halfway through the second book when I was small, but I wasn’t enjoying it anymore because I couldn’t keep any of the names straight so I quit. I think it was the right decision; you shouldn’t read something you don’t enjoy, ever, and now I can read the rest of it without connotation.

This time around, I was better able to follow the flow of the story-telling. Which was magical. Also when I was little I would skip the poems, which I see now contributed to my confusion. And, I admit, a little bit of plot foreknowledge helps as well. I’m remembering things well enough to think “Ah, yeah, I loved this part!” or “Hey, isn’t he important later?” but not enough that it’s all spoiled. This is probably all a little incoherent because it’s 3 am here, but the book was wonderful, and I can’t wait to get to the point in The Two Towers where I stopped before so it really is a brand new adventure.

Past Reads-
The Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern by William Goldman

I was a little wary of this at first, but by the end I was hooked. He writes it like Florin and Guilder are dead real. I began to believe him myself by the end. If anyone has doubts as to reading the same story as was in the movie, never fear - this book contains not only all your favorite scenes, but so much more. Goldman is such a great writer that even when he begins to wander into stories about his fake past it’s so entertaining that you really don’t mind. If you loved the movie you will love the book, and if you didn’t like the movie you’ll still love the book, but I assure the brief identity crisis is worth it.

Past Reads-
Howl’s Moving Castle/Castle In The Air By Diana Wynne Jones

Jones is a master of story-telling. Reading these books felt like sitting at the feet of a bard, like the olden days. Her style is addictive and her stories are full of wonder, humor, and adventure. Also check out The Chronicles of the Chrestomancy.

Past Reads-
Inkheart Trilogy by Cornelia Funke

I devoured these. The third one took months to come in and I almost wasted away pining for it. My mom liked them, too. A beautiful world.