The Legend of the Seeker

Well, I haven't blogged in awhile so my viewers might hate me, but I have quiet the list of books to review. But for now you will have to be happy with reading my critique on the latest and oh so far from greatest television show "Legend of the Seeker."

Please feel free to gorge my eyes out. This show is so far from the book I would like to just die now. Why would Terry Goodkind allow his series, The Sword of Truth, which is so brilliant, to be so altered?

The show's cast is comprised of actors and actresses whom I would never have chosen for his characters who were meant to defy all reason. The actor playing Richard handles his sword like an amateur. He looks like he is fighting in a television show and everyone knows that when Richard handles the Sword of Truth it is as if the sword is merely an extension of his arm. So his fighting is like a flawless dance, not a dicey dynamic combination of thrusts and jumps meant to build anticipation in a t.v. show. The illusion is all wrong.

And whomever decided to not show the characters with the varying lengths of hair should be fired. That is key to understanding our make-believe world. How can you live in a world if there are no rules or guidelines to govern your world?

Besides all of that, there is a world that we are traveling through where we are tackling issues from the series in no particular order. The whole world looks to me like we forgot what the meaning of fantasy is.

Take a few lessons from the BBC version of Robin Hood and develop a few characters and a world. Give us laws and then follow them. And don't base a t.v. show off of book if you can't do it right. Zed looks like an old fool. And they make him seem like he has slept with everyone in the Midlands. Are those devoted to the books supposed to believe that Zeddicus Zol Zorander went about after his wife's death, sleeping with women and using "magical protection" to prevent pregnancy? C'mon that isn't the Zed we know and love. And Richard Cypher is not a man who looks like he couldn't find his own way through the woods, let alone lead anyone else. Is Kahlan a confessor or a personal bodyguard for Richard? Cuz I was pretty sure she was a confessor sent to find the seeker, not a personal bodyguard whose sould duty is to protect Richard. Kahlan wants to protect Richard, but he protects her too.

If this seems a little harsh, it isn't. When it comes to t.v. adaptations of books I expect a lot from the show. This isn't just some book or a comic book strip you can rip off and make money off of. This is The Sword of Truth series and I demand, as a lover of the books, that the show's writers actually read the books before they turn this show into a complete mockery.

The Theif

How can I have lived through my childhood without reading this book?

Honestly I can think of no way for a child to grow up without reading this book. Classified in the category of fantasy this tale seems your standard story of an impossible task. Oh but how wrong you are.

Eugenides is a young thief who, because he has a thing for bragging, finds himself imprisoned in the king's dungeon after stealing his signet ring. Okay so maybe he isn't the brightest thief. But you will soon come to love his wit and humor. You will be intrigued by the young man who is to be king but only ever wants to be a man of learning and another young man who excels at all things kingly but will forever be condemned to be a pauper. Both are apprentices to the king's magistrate, who believes he has found the hiding place of the mythical stone of life; said to be the only way to determine natural rights to the throne of Attolia. Okay now let me clear this up for you...the King is from a country that wishes to marry into the royal family of Attolia so he can rule both lands. So he sends his magistrate with Ged (Eugenides) to steal this stone so that he might be seen as the rightful king, he can marry the would-be queen and take over both countries.

Now, if that plot is not confusing enough there is more intrigue later on when we learn that Ged is not whom we once thought he was...

but why spoil the ending when I can tell you to read the tale. The story is incredibly well written. The lay of the lands are based upon real scenery in Greece, where the author, Megan Whalen Turner, once traveled. The characters are vivid, intertwined, and alive. To read about them is much like meeting them on the street.

Fantasy has never been this much fun, what with all the sneaking around, horse chases, gods of old lore, battles, injuries, and mystery. Upon picking this up, you won't put it down.

Great for ages 10 and up. Great for young adults wanting to recapture their youth.

Happy Hunting.

I'm BACK

Who knew that two months of zero life online could lead to me really missing this blog. I have read so many good books now because of my classes that I can't wait to write a few reviews. I will start it right after this note and post quite a few in the next couple of weeks.

I hope that you all have been reading and can keep up because we are about to take the big plunge into a summer filled with reading and reviews. Hang-on cuz here we go.

An Enchanting Tale

Ella Enchanted was a major film for Anne Hathaway.

But no matter how good you thought the film was, the book is so much better!

I loved the film. I mean who wouldn't. For once the girl was witty, rebellious and extremely clever.

And the book by Gail Levine is totally different. In fact, I would go as far as to say they are two different tales. Which of course is the fun part, because I can watch the movie and read the book and enjoy them for what each of them is as a single unit.

The tale, as it unfolds in the book, is of a young girl cursed with obedience. Her father is a terrible man, her mother is a wonderful Lady. When her mother dies Ella is left to her father, who losses all of their money on a bad deal and he must marry a rich woman. He does so, but when Dame Olga finds out he only married her for her money she punishes Ella by making her the scullery maid while her father is off trying to make money.

On the side though there is this fantastic tale of a young girl whose childhood friend is the crown prince. They laugh together and play together and he adores her and she him. However, she fears that her curse could get him killed so she breaks it off with him and avoids him. When the prince's family decides to hold 3 balls for him to find a wife, Ella must go. She yearns to see him. So she attends each night of the ball and...

Well, I will leave it there. But you know that what you really want is to read it and see if she stays away from him forever, or if Ella will be able to break the spell and marry the man she loves.

You remember as a child, the fairytales your mother read to you, this is another one of those. The book is written for younger readers, but the older readers will love it just the same. The struggles of Obedience and Rebellion. The horrors of manipulation and greed. The Romance. The Love. the memorable character's, the brilliant settings and the inventive weaving of several well loved classics.

Disney probably stole several components of their famed, "Cinderella" from Ella. But who could blame them, Levine is definitely a genius.

Go ahead, grab a book and curl up for the night. This one will surely put your imagination in high gear and have you murmuring soft sighs all night long.

Give me a pulpit and I could Preach right now

I love Frank Peretti. The man is a genius, divinely inspired genius.

C'mon who takes it upon themselves to write a story about the "miraculous" visitation of a Fake Christ? No one. Only Peretti would attempt such a thing.

And it was beautiful. Poetic. A true creation of beauty.

A man walks into town, he performs "miracles" and works of wonder but his power is neither from God nor glorifying to God. His ministry is filled with lies and his very words are poison. The only problem is only three people in the whole are willing to stand against him. Which side will you choose?

Never before have I felt like preaching like I felt after only getting halfway through the book. Peretti was speaking against the established "church" machine before I was even aware that such a thing existed. I was 12 when Peretti wrote and published this book.

And 8 years later as I'm sitting here writing, my blood is again boiling just thinking about these monster machines. I am in Los Angeles. We are known for our mega churches and factories. I'm not saying that all mega churches are bad, but I've been to some really bad ones. And they make you wanna vomit. so many people turn out like the main character in Peretti's novel because of these monstrosities.

So what are we doing to prevent it? How are we taking Peretii's novel to heart? When you read are you absorbing and digesting the information given and then making a difference in the world? Or are you just reading and forgetting? Are you contributing to the decay of the church? or revolutionizing the world in a positive way?

Saint

Saint by Ted Dekker

"Once born into childlike faith, brimming with belief, typical people begin to lost their faith. Society mocks them. Their friends smirk. They come to change the world, but over time the world changes them. Soon they forget who they were; they forget the faith they once had. then one day someone tells them the truth, but they don't want to go back, because they're comfortable in their new skin. Being a stranger in this world is never easy. Look at me, I should know. Don't feel sorry for yourself, Johnny."

So I have to say this first, I love this book and I am so biased! I just adore it.

But here is the thing and the reason I posted this quote;

Are Christians like this? Do we find the world is changing us? And is not a little change good? on both sides?

Are we standing too strong? too softly? not strong enough?

Is the church today so weak that we are the ones wearing down our friends and loved ones in their walk instead of uplifting them?

And so I leave you with this....how close to this description have you come to? And when will you determine to stop?

Things Unnoticed

So I work in retail.

I am a cashier.

I love my job because they work around my schedule, they are great to me and I really have no problem with what I do.

Today, more people commented on how beautiful my eyes are than ever before. Customer after customer made the comment to me today. I loved it.

And so I thought, what is it we notice about people?

Their personalities? Their eyes? Their looks? or their brillance?

But more importantly what is it we feel God telling us to say to them today?

You know if you listen you can hear God telling you what to say? He is just that good. And he never fails.

So in this holiday season, share the love of God. Say what he wants said. Be who he wants you to be. And believe in it all. The wonder of it all.