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Demigods and Monsters
Date: Sunday, March 20, 2016
Time: 8:09 AM
Authors: Various Authors
Edited by: Rick Riordan/Leah Wilson
Ratings: 5/5
Synopsis: Spend a little more time in Percy Jackson's world - a place where the gods bike among us, monster man snack bars, and each of us has the potential to become a hero.
Find out:
- Why Dionysus might be actually be the best director Camp Half-Blood could have
- How to recognised a monster when you see one
- Why even if we aren't facing manticores and minotaurs, reading myth can still help us deal with the scary things in our lives.
Review: Demigods and Monsters is a compilation of comprehensive essays about anything related to the world of Percy Jackson and The Olympians series. It features the insights of eight famous authors (Rosemary Moore, Cameron Dokey, Paul Collins, Carolyn MacCullough, Ellen Steiner, The Gods Among Us, J&P Voelkel, Jen Han, Sarah Beth Durst, Hilary Wagner, Hilari Bell, Elizabeth E. Wein, Kathi Appelt, Sophie Mason, Nigel Rodgers) regarding the series and guess what? Rick Riordan himself wrote the introduction. That was just WOW.
I really appreciated what Rick wrote in the intro that is served as my fire of inspiration to read through the whole book. Mind you, I am not a sucker for overly technical papers that you'd just die of boredom. But this has totally changed my whole perspective of reading essays and of looking at books on a general note. I just couldn't believe that these authors could come up with alot of takes with a supposed-to-be straightforward series. You know what, the book actually gave me this feeling of being with a wizened man and he is telling me, "You are only seeing the outside.. Look closer.... Read closer." I hope you get what I mean.
From now on, I am most certain that I will look at books at a different level. It's like stepping outside of your comfort zone and just absorb the most extraordinary things that could happen. And then finally, putting it into writing. The essays that have been featured in this cover the following:
- Newbie guide to recognising a monster
- Monster in the retail world - Why should one take caution even when buying a donut?
- Fulfilling a heroic destiny even when one is suffering from a handicap
- Choosing between a life of being forever young and immortal; or being old and wrinkly
- Valid reasons of choosing an almost mad god to run kids summer camp
- How gods and goddesses affect our daily lives
- How would Percy Jackson fare when faced with other mythological monsters
- Do you really want a god or goddesses to become one of your parents?
- Just because one rules the World of the Dead doesn't mean he is wholly bad
- A comparative study between the heroes of the past and of today
- Having a handicap could very well mean that one is destined to fulfill extraordinary things
- The dangers of foreseeing the future - Do you really want to be a seer?
- Stories of the past would always be alive if we continue to believe in it... Influenced by it
- Comprehensive glossary of ancient Greek myth
How good is that? And the good thing is that the essays did not give lifeless accounts of the author's views. Instead, I was treated to amusing reminisces of the Percy Jackson scenes that I love and provided me with equally hilarious new stuff to think about. My favourite essays from this compilation would that be of MacCollough about being a hunter for Artemis and that of Wagner's take on Hades's and Nico's side of heroic goodness.
Would I recommend this book? ABSOLUTELY! This book is a perfect enlightenment for those who want to look closer, to imagine beyond the realms of what was written in the pages. If you are an aspiring book analyst, book reviewer, or a student cramming to get his/her books essays right, then this book is must
Labels: Anthologies, Book Companion, Demigods and Monsters, Greek Mythology, Leah Wilson, Percy Jackson and The Olympians, Rick Riordan, Spin Off, Young Adult
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The Unofficial Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Companion: The Norse Heroes, Monsters, and Myths Behind The Hit Series
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Time: 6:22 AM
Author: Peter Aperlo
Ratings: 4/5
Synopsis: Long ago in the legendary land of Asgard, battles raged throughout the Heavens and Earth between powerful gods, Viking heroes and deadly monsters.. These timeless tales of bravery, deceit, and love come alive in this all-new illustrated guide.
As enthralling today as when first told around arctic campfires, these ancient myths are the inspiration for Rick Riordan's captivating new Magnus Chase books. An ideal source of Norse mythology for anyone reading his novels.
Important Reminder: This book is not associated with or authorised or approved by Rick Riordan or his publishers. This book is an independent and unauthorised fan publication. No endorsement or sponsorship by or affiliation with Rick Riordan, his publishers, or other copyright and trademark holders is claimed or suggested. All references in this book to copyrighted or trademarked characters and other elements of books by Rick Riordan are for the purpose of commentary, criticism, analysis, and literary discussion only.
Review: Apparently the Norsemen of old tales had alot of the to make up stories about the Viking gods, heroes, giants, and other mythological creature during those long winter nights, because their well-populated pantheon makes the ancient Greeks and Roman tales pretty paltry.
With the release of Rick Riordan's already bestselling first novel in his new series Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, adventure loving young adult readers are going to need to bone up their Norse gods and goddesses, elves, dwarves, giants, and monster lore, and Peter Aperlo's just published The Unofficial Magnus Chase and The Gods of Asgard Companion: The Norse Heroes, Monsters, and Myths Behind The Hit Series is the perfect guide to have handy as they follow Magnus Chase, former homeless Boston orphan, who discovers that he is the demigod son of the god Frey with the mission of averting the end of the world and becomes a genuine hero of Asgard all in one day. All the many players who populate Magnus' story, plus many more, are identified in this small handy volume.
Peter Aperlo's unofficial guide offers a fascinating and illustrated rundown of Norse history and social mores, a generous sampling of some of the more famous Norse myths, and an extensive Who's Who biographical dictionary of the Scandinavian pantheon of deities, mortals, heroes, monsters and otherwise villainous characters that is sure to be indispensable in reading Riordan's first book and his proposed series. Apelo offers a bonus pronunciation guide to Old Norse vowels and some links to further reading into the world of Viking archeology. All this in an inexpensive paperback or even cheaper e-book that young readers can keep at hand, especially since the sequel, The Hammer of Thor is forthcoming in 2016. And with Riordan's Disney connection through the publisher of this series, there are surely prospects for a movie or so, with the Boston setting offering plenty of colourful location shots for the action.
Who knew that a ride on one of Boston's famous Swan Boats could secretly be a Viking Cruise? How wicked is that?Labels: Book Companion, Norse Mythology, Peter Aperlo, The Unofficial Magnus Chase and The Gods of Asgard Companion: The Norse Heroes Monsters and Myths Behind the Hit Series
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The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (An Eclipse Novella)
Date: Sunday, January 3, 2016
Time: 5:24 AM
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Ratings: 4/5
Synopsis: Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily poweful senses, superhuman reflexes, and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire.
All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself, and above all make it home by sunrise or die. What doesn't she know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.
Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they only know as "her". As they come to realise that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagine, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?
Review: The best part of this novella was being able to see things through the eyes of a real vampire. Bree was a likeable character and readers will feel for and understand her by the end. Bree was one of the smartest vampires in the coven, and was beginning to figure out what Riley and "her" were planning for the newborns. Bree and her fellow vampires were bring manipulated and lied to from the start, but only three of them realised this before it was too late.
The romantic interest, Diego was a sweet, adventurous guy who was one of the only vampires Bree could actually talk with. He was smart and understood something wasn't right with the coven, but unfortunately trusted some of the wrong people. He and Bree had a connection from the start and the scene when they discovered that light was actually not a death sentence was one of my favourites.
The other "good" vampire in the coven was Fred. Readers didn't know much about him to the end, when he started playing a bigger role, but he ended up being a great guy, and a good ally for Bree. He was also talented in a unique way that came in handy for Bree quite a few times. Bree, Diego, and Fred were also pretty much the only ones that even thought about the lives they were taking and the importance of keeping their existence secret.
There was alot of excitement and mystery in this novella and will have readers unable to put it down. The romance is sweet and small, buy you can feel the connection between Bree and Diego. It's sad to see how things turned out for Bree and her coven, and that you don't always know who to trust. One of the most interesting scenes was when Bree met Bella and the Cullens. It was intriguing to see her reaction to these mysterious "golden-eyed" vampires that kept a "human pet".
The ending was sad, but unfortunately, the way it had to be. Readers will feel alot of emotions through the course of this novel, especially the last 50 pages or so.
Overall, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner was a interesting, emotional, and romantic read that gives Twilight fans a glimpse into the life of a vampite other than the Cullens.Labels: Book Companion, Eclipse, Novella, Paranormal, Romance, Short Stories, Stephenie Meyer, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, The Twilight Saga, Young Adult
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The Shadowhunter's Codex
Date: Saturday, January 2, 2016
Time: 9:30 PM
Authors: Cassandra Clare/ Joshua Lewis
Ratings: 3/5
Content: Congratulations. You have opened this book, and you are ready to embark upon the righteous and rewarding life of a Shadowhunter. We have been chosen by the Angel to keep our world safe from the evil creatures we call "demons". And now you are one of us, and with this book, you will learn our lore and our ways.
Angels, demons, faeries, vampires, werewolves, warlocks: they all exist, and they all must be managed and kept at peace. The Shadowhunter's Codex will provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to join our noble work.
Now in its twenty-seventh edition, the Codex covers it all: the history and laws of our world; how to identify, interact with, and, if necessary, kill the world's many colorful denizens; which end of the stele is the end you write with. Geography, history, magic, and zoology textbooks all rolled into one, the Codex is here to help new Shadowhunters navigate the beautiful, often brutal world that we inhabit.
Finally available in a smart, modern edition using all today's most exciting printing techniques, and suitable for carrying unglamoured through the mundane world, the Codex has been the young Shadowhunter's best friend since the thirteenth century. Welcome to our ranks, and study hard. This book could be the difference between life and death.
Review: I am a big fan of Cassandra Clare's books and the Shadow world, so I thought I would pick up The Shadowhunters Codex to learn more about the world. Sadly, I didn't enjoy the reading experience that much.
But let's discuss the positives about this book first. This book would look great on your shelf, along with your other Shadowhunter books, it has beautiful illustrations (and beautiful endpapers) throughout the book. There is also "handwritten" commentary from Clary, Simon and Have throughout the book too that I enjoyed reading. I loved being able to read Clary and Jace's interactions through their notes and commentary, and it was really nice to be able to see more of their personalities.
However, there are spoilers for The Mortal Instruments in their notes (at least up to City of Fallen Angels) so I wouldn't recommend reading this as a guide prior to starting the series. Which is unfortunate, because I kind of see this as a guide book that you should read along with the series, to supplement your knowledge about the world. But if you do that, you'll either be spoilt, or you won't really understand some of the references.
There were some really interesting facts that were presented in The Shadowhunter's Codex, but at other times, it felt like information overload. There were bits that were kind of boring and dry. I think that the parts that interested me the most were things that I had already encountered in The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices books. Plus the majority of the facts that were presented in this book, you can get just by reading the series. The additional facts that you get in this book aren't important to the story in The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices at all. Having said that, it was nice to be able to read more about the kinds of demons that appear in the book, to see what the runes look like, and to learn about the different types of Fey that exist in the world. (There are illustrations too).
The best thing about this book is that you can definitely read it out of order, because it's kind of encyclopedia of the Shadowhunter world. I read it in order from start to finish so that I wouldn't miss any of the information but I found some parts to be very boring especially the history lessons. The sarcastic comments from Clary made it more bearable but still it wasn't the most enjoyable reading experience.
This book is definitely not a must-have. I think it would be nice to have it in your collection if you're a hardcore fan of the series. There are some great Clary, Jace, and Simon interactions in the margins that fans would really enjoy. It would also be helpful to have this on-hand to supplement your knowledge as you read the series. But only after you've gotten past City of Glass because you don't want to be spoilt.
Labels: Book Companion, Cassandra Clare, Joshua Lewis, The Infernal Devices, The Mortal Instruments, The Shadowhunter's Codex
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Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Ultimate Guide
Date: Friday, January 1, 2016
Time: 11:46 PM
Authors: Rick Riordan/ Mary-Jane Knight
Ratings: 4.5/5
Synopsis: It's the handbook no half-blood should be without: a fully illustrated, in-depth guide to gods, monsters, and all things Percy. This novelty companion to the best-selling series comes complete with trading cards, full-colour diagrams and maps, all packaged in a handy, manual-size book with a crisp, magnetic flap enclosure.
Review: The Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Ultimate Guide could be a book any fan of the series or any budding demigod ought to be. Do not let the dimensions of this book fool you. At 146 pages, it's stuffed to the brim with data on Camp Half-Blood, Greek mythology and also the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series.
The cover itself is amazing - hardbound with hologram pictures and a magnetic clasp. On the surface, it's nearly sort of a diary or a journal. Open the book and you will notice richly illustrated, shiny pages stuffed with plenty of Percy Jackson/Greek mythology information. This book is divided into eight sections as follows;
- Percy Jackson - All regarding Percy, as well as his family and his childhood.
- Life at the camp - Map of Camp Half-Blood, ten signs that you could also be a half-blood, a cool full-colour photo/drawing of the cabins, introduction to the campers and different camp characters, and numerous camp info/trivia.
- Gods and Spirits - Kronos, the Olympian Gods, minor gods and spirits.
- Percy Jackson's Bestiary - The varied beasts and monsters that Percy and his friends met within the books.
- The Labyrinth - The various encounters from the Labyrinth.
- The Underworld - All regarding Hades and his domains.
- The Storehouse of the Gods - The varied artifacts and curiosities from the books.
- Compendium - The mortals we tend to meet within the books, different characters.
For those that aren't as aware of the Greek mythology, this can be a good orientation to the varied gods, goddesses, titans, heroes, stories, beasts and creatures that are coated or introduced within the series.
This is a superb book for any fan of the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series. It's an exact must have for any demigod/half-blood that may be enjoyed even long they've finished reading the series.
Labels: Book Companion, Greek Mythology, Mary-Jane Knight, Percy Jackson and The Olympians, Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Ultimate Guide, Rick Riordan
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The Kane Chronicles: The Survival Guide
Date:
Time: 10:31 PM
Authors: Rick Riordan/ Mary-Jane Knight
Ratings: 4.5/5
Synopsis: Fans of The Kane Chronicles series will adore this gorgeous primer on the people, places, gods and creatures found in Rick Riordan's #1 New York Times Best Selling Series. Boasting lenticulars, an easy-to-assemble trading card pyramid, and full-color diagrams, and maps, this deluxe, lavishly illustrated guide teaches readers how to compile secret messages, read hieroglyphics, and recite ancient magic spells. Featuring enough information and extras to satisfy avid follower and budding Egyptologists alike, this guide will cast a spell on readers of all ages.
Review: The Survival Guide targets only the younger readers. If you're under the impression that this book includes series associated short stories or anything necessary to the regular book series I think you'll find yourself very disappointed. Whilst the interviews with Sadie and Carter are adorable and being able to read about Egyptian gods and some of their myths as well as the country's history is interesting, the book isn't really necessary or beneficial to the series. What series information is inc look included in this novel is mostly already revealed in the actual novels and in some places it actually contradicts that main series books. For example, in this book Bes is the God of Children whilst in the main series books he's the God of Gnomes. The book relates information offered in The Survival Guide only offers information that's been provided already in the first two books of the series, it does not include anything revealed in The Serpent's Shadow with the exception from Chapter 13.
Since the most offered character wise is character profiles I can't really talk about characterisation though I will note that most character profiles include on touch animated illustrations are actually a bit of surprise, for example Anubis look very little like I pictured him in my head when I was reading the series novels, in this book he looks almost oriental in nationality and he doesn't much resemble the bad boy Sadie always describes. The benefits of this book are not so much in the enhancement of the series because honestly I don't see how it does do that but in the educational value for children who are fans of the series. Parents can use their children's Kane Chronicles related topics. The book includes illustrations, photographs, maps to make the learning experience enjoyable to children.
Overall I'd recommend this book to parents who have children that are fans of The Kane Chronicles series because the way the book makes learning fun is always a benefit to parents seeking to better educate their children.Labels: Book Companion, Egyptian Mythology, Mary-Jane Knight, Rick Riordan, The Kane Chronicles, The Kane Chronicles: The Survival Guide
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The Hogwarts Library: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Date:
Time: 9:03 PM
Author: Newt Scamander (J.K. Rowling)
Ratings: 5/5
Synopsis: A copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? resides in almost every wizarding household in the country. Now Muggles too have the chance to discover where the Quintaped lives, what the Puffskein eats and why it is best not to leave milk out for a Knarl.
Review: I liked Quidditch Through The Ages. But I loved Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? I find it quite difficult to get into books that don't really have a plot, neither of these books do, yet I was really intrigued by the content of this book more-so than that in Quidditch Through The Ages. I think this might purely be because of the fact that in my opinion magical creatures > magical sport, but regardless, I found it so easy to flick through the pages.
True Harry Potter fans will love the "triple-threat" action that this book features due to a) J.K.'s wonderful writing style b) Harry and Ron's sarcastic comments handwritten throughout the pages and c) simply reading such rich, detailed information about all of the beasts and magical creatures that are quite possibly lurking around our Muggle world.
The book is split into two parts, the first part giving a summary of the history of fantastic beasts, the second part being an encyclopedia of sorts. It even features the Ministry of Magic's danger classification. The second part was definitely my favourite part to read, and I loved imagining all of the creatures based on the description given. I definitely had a little nerd thrill every time I recognised a creature that was featured in the books. My favourite entries though, go to the Kelpie and the Moon Calf. The Moon Calf is a little flat-footed creature with bulging eyes that dances in the moonlight. And the Kelpie is a shape-shifting water demon that drags travelers underwater and eats them.
Overall, I really love this little book. It's the perfect Harry Potter companion, along with the Quidditch Through Ages and The Tales of Beedle The Bard. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? is set to become a trilogy -screen written by Joanne herself- which I am excited for as it's about the author of this book's journey discovering all of the magical creatures featured in the silver screen.
Labels: Book Companion, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantasy, J.K. Rowling, Magic, Newt Scamander, The Hogwarts Library
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The Hogwarts Library: Quidditch Through The Ages
Date:
Time: 8:18 PM
Author: Kennilworthy Whisp (J.K. Rowling)
Ratings: 5/5
Synopsis: Did you know that there are 700 ways of committing a foul in Quidditch? The first game began to evolve on Queerditch Marsh - What Bumphing is? That Puddlemere United is oldest team in the Britain and Ireland league (founded 1163). All this information and much more could be yours once you have read this book. This is all you could ever need to know about the history - the rules, and the breaking of all the rules - of the noble wizarding sport of Quidditch.
Review: Naturally I couldn't leave it behind - anything remotely to do with Harry Potter becomes an obsession of mine - and it now takes pride of place next to the Harry Potter series on my bookshelf. This teensy 105-page book was one of the two books that Joanne wrote in aid of Comic Relief, the second of which is soon to be a film! It's basically a fictional nonfiction work featuring everything you ever wish to know about Quidditch. Personally, I wish that she would write up every single book that is ever mentioned in the books, but alas, that has not yet happened.
One of the things that I adore about this book is that it features J.K. Rowling's signature simple, winning writing style. It's such an easy read and I literally flipped through the pages in about an hour. Each chapter contains hilarious tidbits of information about Quidditch and broomsticks, the time-scale ranging from 1107 to present day. The evolution of the magical game is simply genius, and the writing style makes everything so authentic. My favourite part (aside from reading about the broomsticks) was learning about how the Golden Snitch came about - the pretty, golden version that Harry uses during the Harry Potter series replacing a poor golden bird that was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Little additional features of the copy include a foreward written by Albus Dumbledore himself, and within every copy is also a little glossary type descriptive section at the back that lists Quidditch teams that played in the British and Irish League and a bunch of Quidditch moves and hilarious little drawings showing them in action.
This book is simply genius.Labels: Book Companion, Fantasy, J.K. Rowling, Kennilworthy Whisp, Magic, Quidditch Through The Ages, The Hogwarts Library
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The Hogwarts Library: The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Date: Thursday, December 17, 2015
Time: 12:29 AM
Author: J.K. Rowling
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: The Tales of Beedle the Bard contains five richly diverse fairy tales, each with its own magical character that will variously bring delight, laughter and the thrill of mortal peril.
Additional notes for each story penned by Professor Albus Dumbledore will be enjoyed by Muggles and wizards alike, as the Professor muses on the morals illuminated by the tales, and reveals snippets of information about life at Hogwarts.
Review: The Harry Potter series is what started my love affair for books. I love it so much that I have read books 1, 2. 5, 6, and 7 twice and books 3 and 4 thrice. I acquired Beedle the Bard back when I was still longing for more of Harry Potter's magical world. I was looking for something to re-read so I grabbed this off my shelf.
The name of this book made an appearance in Book 7: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows and played a prominent part in the story. It is a story book of sorts which consist of five fairy tales from the wizarding world, all having dark and creepy elements which reminded me of Neil Gaiman's fairy tale renditions and or The Grimm's Brother's original tales. But each of the stories did not feel like retellings of having borrowed parts from other fairy tales. I thought they were unlike any that I have heard before. Something truly unique as making me believe that they did come from a supposed wizarding world unknown to muggles (non-magical beings). Although the gist remains similar. Good triumphs over evil.
But what made me love this book is the extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore at the end of every tale. It captured his voice, scholarly, calm and collected, reasonable and kind. and humorous. His notes were interpretations of each of the tale presented. It showed an insight into the history of the wizarding world particularly how the strained muggle-wizard relation came to be, about the dark arts, wand lore, being an animagus. We hear a mention of familiar characters (Lucius Malfoy, Abeforth Dumbledore, etc.) and new ones (Beatrix Bloxam)
I believe the book only works its charm on Potter fans and may also appeal to fairy tale fans. And I happen to be both. As for those who aren't, they might not enjoy it as much. But my stand on companion novels remain pretty much the same. I am willing to borrow one or be gifted with one but not to purchase one. The Tales of Beedle the Bard was just an exception.
All in all for a Potterhead and a fairy tale fan like me, this book was a lovely treat and provided me with another yet chance to revisit J.K. Rowling's writing and the magical world that she created albeit for just a brief moment in this book's few pages.Labels: Book Companion, Fantasy, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Magic, The Hogwarts Library, The Tales of Beedle the Bard
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Demigods and Monsters
Authors: Various Authors
Edited by: Rick Riordan/Leah Wilson
Ratings: 5/5
Synopsis: Spend a little more time in Percy Jackson's world - a place where the gods bike among us, monster man snack bars, and each of us has the potential to become a hero.
Find out:
- Why Dionysus might be actually be the best director Camp Half-Blood could have
- How to recognised a monster when you see one
- Why even if we aren't facing manticores and minotaurs, reading myth can still help us deal with the scary things in our lives.
Review: Demigods and Monsters is a compilation of comprehensive essays about anything related to the world of Percy Jackson and The Olympians series. It features the insights of eight famous authors (Rosemary Moore, Cameron Dokey, Paul Collins, Carolyn MacCullough, Ellen Steiner, The Gods Among Us, J&P Voelkel, Jen Han, Sarah Beth Durst, Hilary Wagner, Hilari Bell, Elizabeth E. Wein, Kathi Appelt, Sophie Mason, Nigel Rodgers) regarding the series and guess what? Rick Riordan himself wrote the introduction. That was just WOW.
I really appreciated what Rick wrote in the intro that is served as my fire of inspiration to read through the whole book. Mind you, I am not a sucker for overly technical papers that you'd just die of boredom. But this has totally changed my whole perspective of reading essays and of looking at books on a general note. I just couldn't believe that these authors could come up with alot of takes with a supposed-to-be straightforward series. You know what, the book actually gave me this feeling of being with a wizened man and he is telling me, "You are only seeing the outside.. Look closer.... Read closer." I hope you get what I mean.
From now on, I am most certain that I will look at books at a different level. It's like stepping outside of your comfort zone and just absorb the most extraordinary things that could happen. And then finally, putting it into writing. The essays that have been featured in this cover the following:
- Newbie guide to recognising a monster
- Monster in the retail world - Why should one take caution even when buying a donut?
- Fulfilling a heroic destiny even when one is suffering from a handicap
- Choosing between a life of being forever young and immortal; or being old and wrinkly
- Valid reasons of choosing an almost mad god to run kids summer camp
- How gods and goddesses affect our daily lives
- How would Percy Jackson fare when faced with other mythological monsters
- Do you really want a god or goddesses to become one of your parents?
- Just because one rules the World of the Dead doesn't mean he is wholly bad
- A comparative study between the heroes of the past and of today
- Having a handicap could very well mean that one is destined to fulfill extraordinary things
- The dangers of foreseeing the future - Do you really want to be a seer?
- Stories of the past would always be alive if we continue to believe in it... Influenced by it
- Comprehensive glossary of ancient Greek myth
How good is that? And the good thing is that the essays did not give lifeless accounts of the author's views. Instead, I was treated to amusing reminisces of the Percy Jackson scenes that I love and provided me with equally hilarious new stuff to think about. My favourite essays from this compilation would that be of MacCollough about being a hunter for Artemis and that of Wagner's take on Hades's and Nico's side of heroic goodness.
Would I recommend this book? ABSOLUTELY! This book is a perfect enlightenment for those who want to look closer, to imagine beyond the realms of what was written in the pages. If you are an aspiring book analyst, book reviewer, or a student cramming to get his/her books essays right, then this book is must
Labels: Anthologies, Book Companion, Demigods and Monsters, Greek Mythology, Leah Wilson, Percy Jackson and The Olympians, Rick Riordan, Spin Off, Young Adult
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The Unofficial Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Companion: The Norse Heroes, Monsters, and Myths Behind The Hit Series
Author: Peter Aperlo
Ratings: 4/5
Synopsis: Long ago in the legendary land of Asgard, battles raged throughout the Heavens and Earth between powerful gods, Viking heroes and deadly monsters.. These timeless tales of bravery, deceit, and love come alive in this all-new illustrated guide.
As enthralling today as when first told around arctic campfires, these ancient myths are the inspiration for Rick Riordan's captivating new Magnus Chase books. An ideal source of Norse mythology for anyone reading his novels.
Important Reminder: This book is not associated with or authorised or approved by Rick Riordan or his publishers. This book is an independent and unauthorised fan publication. No endorsement or sponsorship by or affiliation with Rick Riordan, his publishers, or other copyright and trademark holders is claimed or suggested. All references in this book to copyrighted or trademarked characters and other elements of books by Rick Riordan are for the purpose of commentary, criticism, analysis, and literary discussion only.
Review: Apparently the Norsemen of old tales had alot of the to make up stories about the Viking gods, heroes, giants, and other mythological creature during those long winter nights, because their well-populated pantheon makes the ancient Greeks and Roman tales pretty paltry.
With the release of Rick Riordan's already bestselling first novel in his new series Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, adventure loving young adult readers are going to need to bone up their Norse gods and goddesses, elves, dwarves, giants, and monster lore, and Peter Aperlo's just published The Unofficial Magnus Chase and The Gods of Asgard Companion: The Norse Heroes, Monsters, and Myths Behind The Hit Series is the perfect guide to have handy as they follow Magnus Chase, former homeless Boston orphan, who discovers that he is the demigod son of the god Frey with the mission of averting the end of the world and becomes a genuine hero of Asgard all in one day. All the many players who populate Magnus' story, plus many more, are identified in this small handy volume.
Peter Aperlo's unofficial guide offers a fascinating and illustrated rundown of Norse history and social mores, a generous sampling of some of the more famous Norse myths, and an extensive Who's Who biographical dictionary of the Scandinavian pantheon of deities, mortals, heroes, monsters and otherwise villainous characters that is sure to be indispensable in reading Riordan's first book and his proposed series. Apelo offers a bonus pronunciation guide to Old Norse vowels and some links to further reading into the world of Viking archeology. All this in an inexpensive paperback or even cheaper e-book that young readers can keep at hand, especially since the sequel, The Hammer of Thor is forthcoming in 2016. And with Riordan's Disney connection through the publisher of this series, there are surely prospects for a movie or so, with the Boston setting offering plenty of colourful location shots for the action.
Who knew that a ride on one of Boston's famous Swan Boats could secretly be a Viking Cruise? How wicked is that?Labels: Book Companion, Norse Mythology, Peter Aperlo, The Unofficial Magnus Chase and The Gods of Asgard Companion: The Norse Heroes Monsters and Myths Behind the Hit Series
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The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (An Eclipse Novella)
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Ratings: 4/5
Synopsis: Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily poweful senses, superhuman reflexes, and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire.
All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself, and above all make it home by sunrise or die. What doesn't she know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.
Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they only know as "her". As they come to realise that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagine, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?
Review: The best part of this novella was being able to see things through the eyes of a real vampire. Bree was a likeable character and readers will feel for and understand her by the end. Bree was one of the smartest vampires in the coven, and was beginning to figure out what Riley and "her" were planning for the newborns. Bree and her fellow vampires were bring manipulated and lied to from the start, but only three of them realised this before it was too late.
The romantic interest, Diego was a sweet, adventurous guy who was one of the only vampires Bree could actually talk with. He was smart and understood something wasn't right with the coven, but unfortunately trusted some of the wrong people. He and Bree had a connection from the start and the scene when they discovered that light was actually not a death sentence was one of my favourites.
The other "good" vampire in the coven was Fred. Readers didn't know much about him to the end, when he started playing a bigger role, but he ended up being a great guy, and a good ally for Bree. He was also talented in a unique way that came in handy for Bree quite a few times. Bree, Diego, and Fred were also pretty much the only ones that even thought about the lives they were taking and the importance of keeping their existence secret.
There was alot of excitement and mystery in this novella and will have readers unable to put it down. The romance is sweet and small, buy you can feel the connection between Bree and Diego. It's sad to see how things turned out for Bree and her coven, and that you don't always know who to trust. One of the most interesting scenes was when Bree met Bella and the Cullens. It was intriguing to see her reaction to these mysterious "golden-eyed" vampires that kept a "human pet".
The ending was sad, but unfortunately, the way it had to be. Readers will feel alot of emotions through the course of this novel, especially the last 50 pages or so.
Overall, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner was a interesting, emotional, and romantic read that gives Twilight fans a glimpse into the life of a vampite other than the Cullens.Labels: Book Companion, Eclipse, Novella, Paranormal, Romance, Short Stories, Stephenie Meyer, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, The Twilight Saga, Young Adult
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The Shadowhunter's Codex
Authors: Cassandra Clare/ Joshua Lewis
Ratings: 3/5
Content: Congratulations. You have opened this book, and you are ready to embark upon the righteous and rewarding life of a Shadowhunter. We have been chosen by the Angel to keep our world safe from the evil creatures we call "demons". And now you are one of us, and with this book, you will learn our lore and our ways.
Angels, demons, faeries, vampires, werewolves, warlocks: they all exist, and they all must be managed and kept at peace. The Shadowhunter's Codex will provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to join our noble work.
Now in its twenty-seventh edition, the Codex covers it all: the history and laws of our world; how to identify, interact with, and, if necessary, kill the world's many colorful denizens; which end of the stele is the end you write with. Geography, history, magic, and zoology textbooks all rolled into one, the Codex is here to help new Shadowhunters navigate the beautiful, often brutal world that we inhabit.
Finally available in a smart, modern edition using all today's most exciting printing techniques, and suitable for carrying unglamoured through the mundane world, the Codex has been the young Shadowhunter's best friend since the thirteenth century. Welcome to our ranks, and study hard. This book could be the difference between life and death.
Review: I am a big fan of Cassandra Clare's books and the Shadow world, so I thought I would pick up The Shadowhunters Codex to learn more about the world. Sadly, I didn't enjoy the reading experience that much.
But let's discuss the positives about this book first. This book would look great on your shelf, along with your other Shadowhunter books, it has beautiful illustrations (and beautiful endpapers) throughout the book. There is also "handwritten" commentary from Clary, Simon and Have throughout the book too that I enjoyed reading. I loved being able to read Clary and Jace's interactions through their notes and commentary, and it was really nice to be able to see more of their personalities.
However, there are spoilers for The Mortal Instruments in their notes (at least up to City of Fallen Angels) so I wouldn't recommend reading this as a guide prior to starting the series. Which is unfortunate, because I kind of see this as a guide book that you should read along with the series, to supplement your knowledge about the world. But if you do that, you'll either be spoilt, or you won't really understand some of the references.
There were some really interesting facts that were presented in The Shadowhunter's Codex, but at other times, it felt like information overload. There were bits that were kind of boring and dry. I think that the parts that interested me the most were things that I had already encountered in The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices books. Plus the majority of the facts that were presented in this book, you can get just by reading the series. The additional facts that you get in this book aren't important to the story in The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices at all. Having said that, it was nice to be able to read more about the kinds of demons that appear in the book, to see what the runes look like, and to learn about the different types of Fey that exist in the world. (There are illustrations too).
The best thing about this book is that you can definitely read it out of order, because it's kind of encyclopedia of the Shadowhunter world. I read it in order from start to finish so that I wouldn't miss any of the information but I found some parts to be very boring especially the history lessons. The sarcastic comments from Clary made it more bearable but still it wasn't the most enjoyable reading experience.
This book is definitely not a must-have. I think it would be nice to have it in your collection if you're a hardcore fan of the series. There are some great Clary, Jace, and Simon interactions in the margins that fans would really enjoy. It would also be helpful to have this on-hand to supplement your knowledge as you read the series. But only after you've gotten past City of Glass because you don't want to be spoilt.
Labels: Book Companion, Cassandra Clare, Joshua Lewis, The Infernal Devices, The Mortal Instruments, The Shadowhunter's Codex
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Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Ultimate Guide
Authors: Rick Riordan/ Mary-Jane Knight
Ratings: 4.5/5
Synopsis: It's the handbook no half-blood should be without: a fully illustrated, in-depth guide to gods, monsters, and all things Percy. This novelty companion to the best-selling series comes complete with trading cards, full-colour diagrams and maps, all packaged in a handy, manual-size book with a crisp, magnetic flap enclosure.
Review: The Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Ultimate Guide could be a book any fan of the series or any budding demigod ought to be. Do not let the dimensions of this book fool you. At 146 pages, it's stuffed to the brim with data on Camp Half-Blood, Greek mythology and also the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series.
The cover itself is amazing - hardbound with hologram pictures and a magnetic clasp. On the surface, it's nearly sort of a diary or a journal. Open the book and you will notice richly illustrated, shiny pages stuffed with plenty of Percy Jackson/Greek mythology information. This book is divided into eight sections as follows;
- Percy Jackson - All regarding Percy, as well as his family and his childhood.
- Life at the camp - Map of Camp Half-Blood, ten signs that you could also be a half-blood, a cool full-colour photo/drawing of the cabins, introduction to the campers and different camp characters, and numerous camp info/trivia.
- Gods and Spirits - Kronos, the Olympian Gods, minor gods and spirits.
- Percy Jackson's Bestiary - The varied beasts and monsters that Percy and his friends met within the books.
- The Labyrinth - The various encounters from the Labyrinth.
- The Underworld - All regarding Hades and his domains.
- The Storehouse of the Gods - The varied artifacts and curiosities from the books.
- Compendium - The mortals we tend to meet within the books, different characters.
For those that aren't as aware of the Greek mythology, this can be a good orientation to the varied gods, goddesses, titans, heroes, stories, beasts and creatures that are coated or introduced within the series.
This is a superb book for any fan of the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series. It's an exact must have for any demigod/half-blood that may be enjoyed even long they've finished reading the series.
Labels: Book Companion, Greek Mythology, Mary-Jane Knight, Percy Jackson and The Olympians, Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Ultimate Guide, Rick Riordan
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The Kane Chronicles: The Survival Guide
Authors: Rick Riordan/ Mary-Jane Knight
Ratings: 4.5/5
Synopsis: Fans of The Kane Chronicles series will adore this gorgeous primer on the people, places, gods and creatures found in Rick Riordan's #1 New York Times Best Selling Series. Boasting lenticulars, an easy-to-assemble trading card pyramid, and full-color diagrams, and maps, this deluxe, lavishly illustrated guide teaches readers how to compile secret messages, read hieroglyphics, and recite ancient magic spells. Featuring enough information and extras to satisfy avid follower and budding Egyptologists alike, this guide will cast a spell on readers of all ages.
Review: The Survival Guide targets only the younger readers. If you're under the impression that this book includes series associated short stories or anything necessary to the regular book series I think you'll find yourself very disappointed. Whilst the interviews with Sadie and Carter are adorable and being able to read about Egyptian gods and some of their myths as well as the country's history is interesting, the book isn't really necessary or beneficial to the series. What series information is inc look included in this novel is mostly already revealed in the actual novels and in some places it actually contradicts that main series books. For example, in this book Bes is the God of Children whilst in the main series books he's the God of Gnomes. The book relates information offered in The Survival Guide only offers information that's been provided already in the first two books of the series, it does not include anything revealed in The Serpent's Shadow with the exception from Chapter 13.
Since the most offered character wise is character profiles I can't really talk about characterisation though I will note that most character profiles include on touch animated illustrations are actually a bit of surprise, for example Anubis look very little like I pictured him in my head when I was reading the series novels, in this book he looks almost oriental in nationality and he doesn't much resemble the bad boy Sadie always describes. The benefits of this book are not so much in the enhancement of the series because honestly I don't see how it does do that but in the educational value for children who are fans of the series. Parents can use their children's Kane Chronicles related topics. The book includes illustrations, photographs, maps to make the learning experience enjoyable to children.
Overall I'd recommend this book to parents who have children that are fans of The Kane Chronicles series because the way the book makes learning fun is always a benefit to parents seeking to better educate their children.Labels: Book Companion, Egyptian Mythology, Mary-Jane Knight, Rick Riordan, The Kane Chronicles, The Kane Chronicles: The Survival Guide
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The Hogwarts Library: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Author: Newt Scamander (J.K. Rowling)
Ratings: 5/5
Synopsis: A copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? resides in almost every wizarding household in the country. Now Muggles too have the chance to discover where the Quintaped lives, what the Puffskein eats and why it is best not to leave milk out for a Knarl.
Review: I liked Quidditch Through The Ages. But I loved Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? I find it quite difficult to get into books that don't really have a plot, neither of these books do, yet I was really intrigued by the content of this book more-so than that in Quidditch Through The Ages. I think this might purely be because of the fact that in my opinion magical creatures > magical sport, but regardless, I found it so easy to flick through the pages.
True Harry Potter fans will love the "triple-threat" action that this book features due to a) J.K.'s wonderful writing style b) Harry and Ron's sarcastic comments handwritten throughout the pages and c) simply reading such rich, detailed information about all of the beasts and magical creatures that are quite possibly lurking around our Muggle world.
The book is split into two parts, the first part giving a summary of the history of fantastic beasts, the second part being an encyclopedia of sorts. It even features the Ministry of Magic's danger classification. The second part was definitely my favourite part to read, and I loved imagining all of the creatures based on the description given. I definitely had a little nerd thrill every time I recognised a creature that was featured in the books. My favourite entries though, go to the Kelpie and the Moon Calf. The Moon Calf is a little flat-footed creature with bulging eyes that dances in the moonlight. And the Kelpie is a shape-shifting water demon that drags travelers underwater and eats them.
Overall, I really love this little book. It's the perfect Harry Potter companion, along with the Quidditch Through Ages and The Tales of Beedle The Bard. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? is set to become a trilogy -screen written by Joanne herself- which I am excited for as it's about the author of this book's journey discovering all of the magical creatures featured in the silver screen.
Labels: Book Companion, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantasy, J.K. Rowling, Magic, Newt Scamander, The Hogwarts Library
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The Hogwarts Library: Quidditch Through The Ages
Author: Kennilworthy Whisp (J.K. Rowling)
Ratings: 5/5
Synopsis: Did you know that there are 700 ways of committing a foul in Quidditch? The first game began to evolve on Queerditch Marsh - What Bumphing is? That Puddlemere United is oldest team in the Britain and Ireland league (founded 1163). All this information and much more could be yours once you have read this book. This is all you could ever need to know about the history - the rules, and the breaking of all the rules - of the noble wizarding sport of Quidditch.
Review: Naturally I couldn't leave it behind - anything remotely to do with Harry Potter becomes an obsession of mine - and it now takes pride of place next to the Harry Potter series on my bookshelf. This teensy 105-page book was one of the two books that Joanne wrote in aid of Comic Relief, the second of which is soon to be a film! It's basically a fictional nonfiction work featuring everything you ever wish to know about Quidditch. Personally, I wish that she would write up every single book that is ever mentioned in the books, but alas, that has not yet happened.
One of the things that I adore about this book is that it features J.K. Rowling's signature simple, winning writing style. It's such an easy read and I literally flipped through the pages in about an hour. Each chapter contains hilarious tidbits of information about Quidditch and broomsticks, the time-scale ranging from 1107 to present day. The evolution of the magical game is simply genius, and the writing style makes everything so authentic. My favourite part (aside from reading about the broomsticks) was learning about how the Golden Snitch came about - the pretty, golden version that Harry uses during the Harry Potter series replacing a poor golden bird that was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Little additional features of the copy include a foreward written by Albus Dumbledore himself, and within every copy is also a little glossary type descriptive section at the back that lists Quidditch teams that played in the British and Irish League and a bunch of Quidditch moves and hilarious little drawings showing them in action.
This book is simply genius.Labels: Book Companion, Fantasy, J.K. Rowling, Kennilworthy Whisp, Magic, Quidditch Through The Ages, The Hogwarts Library
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The Hogwarts Library: The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Author: J.K. Rowling
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: The Tales of Beedle the Bard contains five richly diverse fairy tales, each with its own magical character that will variously bring delight, laughter and the thrill of mortal peril.
Additional notes for each story penned by Professor Albus Dumbledore will be enjoyed by Muggles and wizards alike, as the Professor muses on the morals illuminated by the tales, and reveals snippets of information about life at Hogwarts.
Review: The Harry Potter series is what started my love affair for books. I love it so much that I have read books 1, 2. 5, 6, and 7 twice and books 3 and 4 thrice. I acquired Beedle the Bard back when I was still longing for more of Harry Potter's magical world. I was looking for something to re-read so I grabbed this off my shelf.
The name of this book made an appearance in Book 7: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows and played a prominent part in the story. It is a story book of sorts which consist of five fairy tales from the wizarding world, all having dark and creepy elements which reminded me of Neil Gaiman's fairy tale renditions and or The Grimm's Brother's original tales. But each of the stories did not feel like retellings of having borrowed parts from other fairy tales. I thought they were unlike any that I have heard before. Something truly unique as making me believe that they did come from a supposed wizarding world unknown to muggles (non-magical beings). Although the gist remains similar. Good triumphs over evil.
But what made me love this book is the extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore at the end of every tale. It captured his voice, scholarly, calm and collected, reasonable and kind. and humorous. His notes were interpretations of each of the tale presented. It showed an insight into the history of the wizarding world particularly how the strained muggle-wizard relation came to be, about the dark arts, wand lore, being an animagus. We hear a mention of familiar characters (Lucius Malfoy, Abeforth Dumbledore, etc.) and new ones (Beatrix Bloxam)
I believe the book only works its charm on Potter fans and may also appeal to fairy tale fans. And I happen to be both. As for those who aren't, they might not enjoy it as much. But my stand on companion novels remain pretty much the same. I am willing to borrow one or be gifted with one but not to purchase one. The Tales of Beedle the Bard was just an exception.
All in all for a Potterhead and a fairy tale fan like me, this book was a lovely treat and provided me with another yet chance to revisit J.K. Rowling's writing and the magical world that she created albeit for just a brief moment in this book's few pages.Labels: Book Companion, Fantasy, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Magic, The Hogwarts Library, The Tales of Beedle the Bard
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