Category Archives: TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake

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TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON:

Gormenghast Book 1: Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake

A review by INFAMOUS🦀

 

Mervyn Peake was not only a unique writer but a very accomplished artist (painter and illustrator). We can say that his keen sense of vivid visuals and details displayed in his artistic work spilled over into his writing–the Gormenghast series representing the culmination of that endeavor.

The Gormenghast series is a trilogy (the fourth book was left incomplete due to Peake’s death–later on finished by his wife) that is so original as to be impossible to compare to any other stories. We might say that there is a faint connection in style to Charles Dickens, but that’s a stretch in my opinion.

 

TITUS GROAN:

The first book of the series is called Titus Groan, and that is also the name of the newborn son of the aristocratic Groan family portrayed in the story, the lords of Gormenghast. This abbey includes a massive structure of towers, walls, parapets, including the entire surrounding region where villagers (the Mud Dwellers) live off of the fruit of the fields and artisamery. The entire first book revolves around the birth of heir Titus, and his significance for the Groan dynasty to carry on after the count and countess had given up all hopes to birth a male descendant.

CHARACTERS:

This is not a story-driven book by any accounts, but rather a character-driven book. The magic of Peake’s writing is found in his characters and how they come to life from written page to our minds. 

Whether it be Countess Gertrude with her army of adoring white cats; or  Aunts Clarice and Cora, with their awkward mannerisms and distorted view of reality; or daughter Fuchsia with her secret hiding place in the attic; or old Nanny Slagg who feels under-appreciated for all she does…every character gets pages and pages of rich descriptions in  order to define them in depth both physically and mentally.

Mervyn Peake was indeed very descriptive in his writing. Not just when describing physical traits but when describing the inner state of a person. He could write pages about the emotional state of a character before even mentioning what that character is doing.

 

DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS:

This acute sense of details Peake had for his characters also applied to the environment his characters move about. We learn that Gormenghast is a massive and oppressive place, its halls are damp, moat ridden, and dusty for the most part. It’s cold and dark during winter while hot, muggy and oppressive in the summer. This is basically an independent world within the world, like an independent nation, self-sufficient and cut away from the rest of civilization; its citizens just as peculiar and extraordinary as the inhabitants of far away planets.

 

Mervyn Peake remains a most extraordinary writer, unmatched to this day in certain aspects.

His complex and rich prose might not be for everyone, and his characters at times are so minutely described both physically and psychologically that today’s ‘instant-gratification/get-to-the-point’ audience might quit after reading a few pages. A lot of reviewers have written that this book is slow, boring, with lots of descriptions but no essence…but I couldn’t disagree more.

I believe it takes a certain level of maturity to enjoy Peake’s writing. It is not an easy read, for sure, and many readers cannot stick with it for long.

Sometimes I wonder if Mervyn’s thinking process was too far ahead for some of us to fully appreciate his content. His tragic passing left a void that has not been filled yet to this day.

Who knows what this mind would have achieved if he lived longer? What treasure of human literature he would have left us? 

As I mentioned earlier, his passing at age 57 left us with an unfinished series, as he was working on Book 4.

To this day, there are paragraphs from the Gormenghast Trilogy that I read and reread that leave me in awe for their beauty, richness, and introspection, and make me wonder if we will ever see the likes of such marvelous genius again.

A true LEGEND.

🦀

Fantasy, Historical, Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

Ghost King by David Gemmell

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TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON:

GHOST KING by David Gemmell

A review by INFAMOUS🦀

 

David Gemmell might not be one of the most popular sword and sorcery writers perhaps, but his work truly has been a gift to those of us who admire captivating characters, well thought-out plot lines, and the ‘magic’ of fairy stories of old,  combining  history and fantasy uniquely.

Ghost King in many aspects could be loosely compared to the legend of King Arthur, but only on the surface. Once we take a deep dive into the core of it we realize that this is an original and exquisite tale that should be shared and praised throughout the ages.

PLOT:

The kingdom of the Romano-Britons finds itself without a king when Brigante King Eldared murders King Aurelius in a hunting ambush. However, Prince Thuro, son of Aurelius, manages to escape and with the aid of very powerful and unexpected allies regroups to regain his father’s kingdom and take back the throne.

As you can see, the general plot line is pretty straightforward but where Gemmell excels is in making this story unique by presenting characters that are not flat or one-dimensional and sub-plots that we might not expect, yet  ‘make sense’.

 

TEEN CHARACTERS: 

Prince Thuro and Laitha are first introduced as teenagers. Commonly teen characters, as written in modern times, come off as insufferable due to either being portrayed as exceedingly talented and self-confident for their age or as nitwits with low self-esteem. Not here!

For example, when Thuro is asked who he really is, his answer is:

 

“I am a young man, barely of age, who needs wise counsel from trusted friends”

 

How could we not get to side with a character like Thuro? He is ignorant/innocent, inexperienced, and he knows it. While he does not quit on his task to regain the throne from the usurper he realizes he can’t do it alone and he is conscious of his age and limitations.

 

SECONDARY CHARACTERS: 

Other characters that we will find intriguing and well defined throughout the story are:

  • The three retainers Victorious, Gwalchmai, and Caradoc, who manage to survive the ambush on their king and ride back to their homeland to regroup and raise an army.
  • The Enchanter Maedhlyn, who allegedly inspired the building of Troy and took Alexander “to the brink of domination”. A ‘Merlin’ character who seems to have had influence over several historical figures according to the lore of Ghost King:
  • Demigod Culain, who turns out to be Thuro’s grandfather and makes the critical decision to give up his immortality out of sheer love
  • King Eldared who engages the Soul Stealers, terrible wraiths of doom with invincibility and great speed to usurp the throne
  • Prasamaccus the crippled brigante who saves Victorinus from the threat of the Atrols (giant creatures sent by Eldared)
  • Goroien the Witch, who constantly requires the sacrifice of pregnant women in order to maintain her eternal youth

 

And of course we gotta have a legendary sword… The Sword of Cunobelin, lost when the king was murdered. Thuro must rescue it in order to reclaim the throne.

PROSE:

Gemmell is very clear with the prosaic style he decided to adopt in the foreword:

 

“The language used is relatively modern, and undoubtedly there will be some students who find it jarring to read of arrows being ‘fired’, when of course the expression evolved only after the introduction of matchlock muskets.”

 

This is the best move any author can make when choosing a style of language for a similar epic fantasy tale. When unsure, write in the most neutral style you can manage. Don’t try to be Shakespeare and don’t try to use modern XXI slang either. When you use a neutral language you let the reader’s imagination take the driver’s seat, and that’s a good thing.

 

CONCLUSIONS:

If you don’t know David Gemmell, grab a copy of Ghost King and be delighted with high quality epic fantasy that is compelling, imaginative, but also well thought-out and professionally presented. The blend of history with fantasy is exactly what I personally appreciate more than anything, and that’s why we will cover book 2 soon:

The Last Sword of Power

Don’t miss it!

🦀

Reviews, Time Travel, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

Bid Time Return by Richard Matheson

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TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON:

Bid Time Return (Somewhere in Time) by Richard Matheson

A review by INFAMOUS🦀

 

Author Richard Matheson’s novels have been adapted for the big screen with relatively good success since the ’80s. His most popular title remains I am Legend (1954) but in my honest opinion the peak of his storytelling is represented by a time travel/love story little masterpiece originally titled Bid Time Return (1975).

Bid Time Return was adapted to the big screen in 1980 under the name Somewhere in Time starring the late Christopher Reeves. The movie was so successful that further publications of the novel saw the title officially changed to that of the movie.

It is important to know that though the movie is pretty good overall, it has some major elements that differ from the book, and ironically those differences are crucial in fully defining the true greatness of the original concept. Let me explain:

 

CRITICISM:

Over the years, the book has received some good criticism but also a lot of negative criticism. Some critics felt like this story was about a stalker who was willing to travel back in time to be with a woman he didn’t even know outside of a photo from 1896. The movie unfortunately lacks a very important element which is found in the book and that totally makes for a valid argument as for the behavior of the main character Richard Collier. 

Keep reading…

PLOT:

Richard Collier is a 36 year-old screenwriter in 1971 who is diagnosed with a malignant tumor and doctors inform him that he might have only months left to live. THIS is very important to keep in mind because it will completely change the narrative (in the movie Richard has NO tumor).

His parents already passed and, left with a brother of almost the same age and his sister-in-law, he decides to hop in his car and go on a road trip heading nowhere and everywhere. Never having been married or experienced love, with a career that now means nothing, he drives off feeling like he would only be a burden to his brother and his brother’s wife.

When he makes a pit stop at Hotel del Coronado he sees the framed photo of 1800s theater actress Elise McKenna and something about her aura pierces his heart and mind and he feels like he cannot leave the hotel, drawn to Elise and feeling this incredible need to meet her.

 

PLAUSIBILITY FACTORS:

Going back to the ‘health status’ of Richard, this is very important to grasp because without that, the whole narrative would crumble.

The tumor Richard was diagnosed with has a double impact on his persona:

  1. Psychological
  2. Physical

 

Psychological: Unless we ourselves experience a deadly ailment like a terminal tumor, with only a few months of life left, we can only assume how that might impact the psyche of a man. Particularly that of a man who has regrets about never having experienced true love and a wife. THAT alone makes Richard’s infatuation with Elise all the more conceivable.

 

Physical: as Richard’s own doctor later on told his brother:

 

“Dr. Crosswell’s words complete the picture. He told me that the sort of tumor Richard had could cause “dreaming states” and “hallucinations of sight, taste, and smell.”

So we see that we have two theories here: one where Richard’s tumor enabled a mental state where he believed to travel back in time through hallucinations, and a second theory where the tumor allowed for Richard to break through the 4th dimension and ‘travel’ in time or rather ‘exist’ in 1896. Either way we look at it, you CANNOT take the health status and mental stability of Richard away without the whole story falling apart.

 

TIME TRAVEL THEORY THAT MAKES SENSE:

Another thing that I absolutely admire about this novel is the fundamentals of time travel the author introduces. This does not involve fancy time travel machines or high tech equipment but rather the introduction of a 4th dimension (time). According to the research Richard embarks during his stay at Hotel Coronado, just like a blind man is unable to perceive the three known dimensions, our brain chemistry impedes us to perceive that fourth dimension which involves ‘time’.

Through ‘repetition’ techniques and while being physically located exactly where Elise was located that same month of November of 1896, Richard is able to break the wall of the fourth dimension just like a blind man would be able to perceive the three dimensions if eyesight was to be restored.

The several failed initial attempts followed by Richard’s relentlessness are gripping and unnerving. By the time he finally breaks through to 1896 we are right there with him, totally invested in the story, feeling what he feels. 

But Matheson is a master storyteller, so he leaves both doors open: Was Richard…

  1.  just experiencing delusions and hallucinations due to his rare mental health status, or
  2. was that same mental health status what enabled him to break through the barrier of the fourth dimension and begin to exist in 1896 Hotel del Coronado?

 

CONCLUSION:

To this day, many believe this to be some sappy love story with time travel thrown in the mix. But it’s much MUCH more.

This is about unfulfilled dreams, about newfound appreciation of TIME. It’s about the frailty of the human psyche when we realize the harsh reality of our own mortality. Richard knows that he has no future and it’s senseless to make any plans. All his ambitions are dissolved in a snap of fingers, all that is left is loneliness and regret for not having been able to experience what his brother has: a wife, a family, a connection that goes beyond the work-related.

These are all very heavy subjects which the author is able to tackle without presenting an agenda or trying to preach to us. 

He is only telling us that TIME is all we have…

🦀

Fantasy, Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

The King of Elfland’s Daughter – a Review

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TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON:

The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany

Reviewed by

Where most modern sword and sorcery tales come to a conclusion, 1925’s The King of Elfland’s Daughter is just rounding up its prologue. Let me explain…

In most traditional stories that find a knight in pursuit of a fair princess in a distant and dangerous magic land, things usually wrap up after the knight goes through a series of trials and tribulations (like breathtaking sword fights with terrible creatures)  rescues  the princess, and manages to escape so that they will get married and go on to live happily thereafter. But in KOED--written by legendary author Lord Dunsany–that constitutes just the initial set up for the main plot of the story!

 

PLOT:

When the parliament of the Kingdom of Erl decides that it’s time for the kingdom to add magic to the land in order to gain more power and respect among the other nations, Prince Alveric is assigned to the task of infiltrating Elfland, kidnapping Princess Lirazel, bringing her back to Erl, and starting a new magic-powered dynasty.

With the aid of witch Ziroonderel, who forges a magic sword for Alveric, mission is accomplished: the princess is brought back to the world of mortals and a new royal dynasty thus begins.

The love of Alveric and Lirazel will bring to life a son, Orion. 

THE FIELDS WE KNOW/ELFLAND:

The author defines a clear-cut divide between the world of mortal men (aka the fields we know) and the world of the elves (Elfland). The atmosphere is different, the flow of time is different, even the objects of worship differ between the two realms.

Soon Princess Lirazel grows weary and heavy-hearted in the world of mortals despite her love for Alveric and son Orion. She feels overwhelmed by this mortal realm and by the concept of Time itself even. Alveric even realizes that:

 

“And the days that remained to her now seemed scarce more to him, dwelling beyond the fret and ruin of Time, than to us might seem a briar rose’s hours when plucked and foolishly hawked in the streets of a city. He knew that there hung over her now the doom of all mortal things.”

 

 Lirazel panics and flees back to Elfland, and by the power of her father the King of Elfland, the entire elvish kingdom disappears from sight, becoming inaccessible to both human or beast from the fields we know.

Alveric in a hopeless quest will spend long years on the road searching for Elfland and his wife, but to no avail. 

All the while son Orion grows into a healthy boy who loves hunting with his pack of well-trained hounds, though no signs of magic are apparent within him, to the disappointment of the citizens of Erl… Until he makes contact with troll Lurulu, who roams on the edge of the two kingdoms and is spotted first by Orion’s hounds. This sends a clear message to the people of Erl that perhaps they do have a magic-imbued heir at court.

NEXT LEVEL FANTASY:

To be quite honest, many are the fantasy titles available today but few are those rich in the main ingredient: FANTASY! 

What I mean is that most contemporary fantasy novels utterly fail in portraying places and characters that truly feel foreign to our world. What Lord Dunsany accomplished in KOED is bringing about something that feels more like an ancient legend or myth not written by mortal hand. 

This is truly ‘next level’ fantasy. Whereas it is Lirazel not understanding the way of humans or Lurulu the troll trying to grasp the meaning of ‘tomorrow’ or the act of ‘sleeping’ (coming from a land where time has no meaning and sleep is a foreign concept), Lord Dunsany uses a compelling prosaic style that will make you wonder in awe again and again: it’s beautiful but foreign; inviting yet mysterious.

 

CONCLUSIONS:

We hear the term ESCAPISM a lot these days in the fantasy genre, but truly we won’t know its full meaning until we read The King of Elfland’s Daughter! To read this is to ‘leave’ Earth and to visit lands that exist between reality and dream. 

Keep in mind that Lord Dunsany published this before Tolkien even wrote Lord of the Rings, and in some aspects I believe he laid the foundation for the fantastic and the ethereal literature of the future. Whereas this is accomplished through the introduction of the elves, the trolls, the unicorns that roam Elfland, the magic sword yielded by Alveric…

LEGENDS start right here! And they start with The King of Elfland’s Daughter!

🦀

Adventure, Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

King Solomon’s Mines by Henry R. Haggard

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TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON:

King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard

Reviewed by

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Henry R. Haggard is the best adventure/exploration fiction writer of all time. The reason why he-and so many other authors of the past-excel to such an extent at their craft is because of a number of factors: first and foremost because these individuals did not live in a Google search engine society, but drew inspiration from first-hand experiences. They themselves traveled, explored, went on hiking trips, hunting, fishing, even went outside for walks! All this contributed to building a portfolio of experiences that resonate in the pages they wrote.

Haggard was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a pioneer of the Lost World literary genre. He was also involved in agricultural reform throughout the British Empire and spent many years traveling to those far and exotic places we read in his body of work. Haggard did not just Google search ‘Central Africa’– he spent time in Central  Africa! 

I’m not saying that all authors must travel or become explorers in order to write decent books, but we must admit that those life experiences clearly provide a net inspirational advantage.

 

Haggard writes in KSM: “How we enjoyed those marrow-bones, though it was rather a job to crack them! I know of no greater luxury than giraffe marrow, unless it is elephant’s heart, and we had that on the morrow.” Such a descriptive paragraph can only stem from that first-hand experience we’re discussing here. Very few modern writers can ‘go there’ (pun intended).

WRITING DEVELOPMENT: 

This novel is from 1885 whereas She  is from 1887. In those two years, Haggard’s writing style changed substantially. This earlier work is more straightforward, more action-oriented, and deals less with the metaphysical and the transcendental. If you prefer action/adventure with a taste for lost world narrative, this is IT. You won’t find any other novels from any time period that can match KSM!

 

PLOT:

We find our main character, Allan Quatermain, already advanced in age (50+) when he is recruited by Sir Henry Curtis and his partner, Captain Good, to join a rescue mission to find Henry’s brother who was last seen attempting to find the coveted diamonds allegedly located at King Solomon’s mine in Africa.

What Quatermain can’t predict is that in their voyage, the three men will find themselves stuck in a power struggle among local tribal chiefs, and they will have to pick sides and fight a fight that is not even theirs. But that’s necessary in order to move on with their mission and find Henry’s brother and the diamonds. 

 

A SUPERIOR EXPERIENCE: 

As you read KSM, you might feel tempted to go back and search the original date of publication. Why do I say this? But because the prose, the concepts, the plot lines are so rich, so full of life, so unpredictable at times that we might wonder how this was written when we didn’t have the technology of today! And that is exactly the valid point that raises the question: has modern technology aided in improving not only our writing skills, but also our powers of perception? How these XIX authors viewed the world obviously led to storytelling that is unmatched today. And if they were as closed-minded as we’ve been told, how could they conceive situations and circumstances modern writers can’t even grasp?

 

CONCLUSION:

King Solomon’s Mines is not just adventure pulp fiction, it is a treasure of Western literature. From Indiana Jones to Lara Croft and anything in between pales by comparison, and Allan Quatermain is the quintessential adventurer/hunter who will be immortalized through the ages as a TRUE LEGEND!

🦀

Historical, Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

Idolatry: a Romance by Julian Hawthorne

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A Review by

Welcome back to TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON. Today we will look at the second book by Julian Hawthorne in this series. All through the book, the author writes as the reader’s personal guide, and as if we were ethereal spirit beings not bound by either space or time, invisible to human eyes. 

And so chapter 1 (The Enchanted Ring) becomes one of the most brilliant opening chapters that I’ve ever read. The prosaic style is a thing of LEGENDS and it transports us first-hand into an old and majestic hotel in Boston circa 1850s, where two guest rooms will be of particular interest all throughout the story. Room 1 occupied by Egypt-born Manetho and Room 2 occupied by Balder Helwyse.

How the lives of these two men intertwine will represent the heartbeat of the plot.

PLOT:

You will learn the backstory of how Thor Helwyse was an American by birth, descendant of a Danish family of high station and antiquity. Inheriting the restless spirit of his ancestors, he falls in with Dr. Hiero Glyphic (his name was Henry but purposely changed it). Hiero embraces Thor as a brother once they come back from their adventures in foreign lands along with a young Egyptian lad, Manetho (during one of their trips to Egypt, Hiero rescues and adopts a young Manetho who carries a very unusual and ancient diamond attached to a necklace, which later will be turned into a diamond ring). 

Thor falls in love and marries Glyphic’s step-sister, Helen. Helen and Manetho have a secret affair. Tragically and mysteriously Helen dies. Manetho blames Thor for her death. Thor, now with a young son Balder, decides to once again go abroad and get lost in the sea and in distant lands. He drowns. 

Balder, now in his adult age, comes back to Boston to reconnect with uncle Hiero. Manetho has harbored revenge ever since the death of Helen, mother of Balder. With a striking resemblance to his dad, Balder soon becomes the target of vengeful thoughts for Manetho, who meanwhile inherited Hiero’s property after he passed. 

 

REVENGE:

This is a story of revenge but also a story of redemption. The fabulous prose of Hawthorne is a thing of LEGENDS and the deep inner exploration of each character’s psyche is so rich and complex that it can be challenging at times to dissect but also very rewarding.

 

CLOSING REMARKS:

Is this a slow-burner? It is, but the richness of the writer’s grammar, the emotions he is able to infuse in his characters will leave you in awe. This is not your typical piece of fiction, but it stands as a LEGEND that will stand the test of time, and that I strongly encourage you to pick up!

🦀

Adventure, Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

AYESHA: The Return of SHE by H. R. Haggard

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TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON

Reviewed by

“She was all loveliness in one shape; She was like the dawn upon the snows; She was like the evening star above the mountains; She was like the first flower of the spring.”

 

Welcome to our next installment of TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON. As a reminder, this is a series of reviews in relation to what I believe to be legendary classics of fiction literature that are a must-read. They changed my life and keep doing so to this day, in many respects.

 

If you missed our review of SHE (link) I’d strongly suggest you go back and check it out. If not, welcome to Volume 2 of what I am convinced it is the best adventure/exploration/new world fiction literature ever written.

INDIANA WHO?:

Ayesha was written by Haggard following the success of She. That first book came out during a time when England in particular was enamored with tales of exploring new worlds and adventures into exotic and strange lands. In that sense, She was the first of its genre, and frankly it still remains the best of all.

So enthralling is Book 1 that there is no way we could read it and not feel compelled to dive headfirst into Book 2! And so here we are, once again entering the ‘lost world’ of Haggard; anticipating more adventures, more legends…more SHE!

 

PLOT:

Again, this is an account as told by our original main character Horace Holly. After surviving his adventures with Leo in Central Africa, and making it back to England more or less in one piece, reintegrating into ordinary life was not easy for either of them. Both experience some sort of PTSD related to having witnessed and interacted with Ayesha, “for what mortal mind can be touched by an immortal mind and be left unscathed?”.

Leo even contemplates suicide but Holly rebukes him out of love. Until one night Leo has a dream in which Ayesha appears to him and seems to direct him to a place where her reincarnated being is awaiting them. After convincing Uncle Holly, they set for Central Asia, based solely on Leo’s dream! Yes, this is a desperate mission, and deep inside both of them know that it will certainly mean their end!

 

TRAVEL/MYSTERY:

Where Haggard’s narrative really shines is in the description of these long and dangerous explorative trips to exotic and mysterious lands. Holly and Leo have to fight against hunger, against weather conditions, against the harshness of these lands where the biggest enemy becomes the sheer solitude they inflict on the psyche. Witness their staying at a monastery of monks forgotten by civilization; marvel at the sheer magnitude of the mountains covered in unforgiving snow; gasp at the threat of random snow avalanches, deadlier than boulders of stone:

“The screaming of the blast caused by the compression of the air, the dull, continuous thudding of the fall of millions of tons of snow as they rushed through space and ended their journey in the gulf.” (Chapter 4)

 

FACING ‘THE IMMORTAL ONE’:

As Holly recounts:

“It was like the fragment of a nightmare preserved by the awakened senses in all its mad, meaningless reality.

We have seen the very Light of Life roll by in majesty; we have been the guests of an Immortal…”

 

The moment of interaction between our main characters and Ayesha represents the culmination of all the trials and tribulations…with a shocking twist at the end!

 

CLOSING REMARKS:

Ayesha as a book was not quite as successful as Book 1, but in terms of quality this doesn’t feel like a modern sequel, the result of  greedy minds trying to capitalize on the success of the previous work. In fact I’d dare say that some of the dynamics in Book 2 depart a big deal from Book 1 while preserving the essence that made Book 1 so special.

I encourage you all to read this LEGEND yourself. Pick up Book 1 and 2 and let us know what you think in the comments below!

🦀

 

Adventure, Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

SHE by H. Rider Haggard – a Review

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TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON

Reviewed by

SHE is arguably the best adventure/exploration story ever written…But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. What this really is about is a soul-searching/mind-bending LEGEND disguised as the former. Haggard has set the standards so high that no other book, movie, game, or AI generated content can ever surpass what Haggard has been able to project in the mind of the reader via his written words.

Haggard raised the standards of adventure/mystery narrative to heights that to this day have not been matched, and most likely never will. Haggard redefined what can be done with the genre. I feel spoiled but also humbled, being able to read, study, and review his body of work.

PLOT:

What we read here is the memoir of main character Horace Holly. When Leo Vincey was still a toddler, his biological father (and Holly’s only real friend) reveals a dark secret to Holly just before he dies of a disease he contracted on a trip to Central Africa. As a result, Holly assumes guardianship of Leo (who was 5 at the time) along with his  family wealth and a suitcase for Leo only to open on his 25th birthday.

Without spoiling things too much, the contents of that suitcase will see Holly and Leo travel to a mythological civilization named KĂ´r, in Central Africa.

Holly’s memoir is an account of that voyage.

 

ADVENTURE/PERILS/HARDSHIP:

This is where Haggard really pushes the envelope of what can be achieved in what we would call the ‘Indiana Jones’ adventure genre. The path to KĂ´r is dangerous and life-altering. The scene of the storm while they’re at sea (chapter 4) is probably the most gripping scene of its kind. Out of a crew of about 20 only 4 make it to shore. Once they reach land our protagonists will have to deal with the harsh elements of the region, its animal kingdom (witness the most brutal fight between lion and alligator in chapter 5!), and a local tribe of flesh-eaters who adopt the most sadistic ritual called ‘hot-potting’ to kill their victims before they eat them (it seems like the human body dying in fear and pain tastes better to them!)

And this is just the beginning!

FEMALE VILLAIN:

Another bar that Haggard manages to set very high is that of the female villain character. Today’s writers for the most part fail miserably at capturing what should really define a female villain. Here is where we get introduced to Ayesha who is simply known as She or She-who-must-be-obeyed, as the locals call her.

Ayesha is mysterious, evil, scary…But also beautiful, irresistible, wise beyond any mortal, and truthful. Her beauty is so otherworldly that she has to wrap herself in thin white veils. As Holly writes in his memo: “The truth is veiled, because we could no more look upon her glory than we can upon the sun. It would destroy us.”

KÔR:

Haggard is very detailed with the geographical account of this lost nation called KĂ´r. Located north of the Zambezi river and once a very advanced civilization, it was eventually decimated by a plague. The few who survived fled and eventually funded what we know as Ancient Egypt. All the cities of KĂ´r were abandoned, including the enormous cave system they had created. Only a few scattered tribes eventually settled in the area but never dared to go near the cities for fear of the ghosts of those who died by the plague. About 400 B.C. Ayesha (who seems to be from the line of Ishmael) moved to the area and made her kingdom out of the caves, whereby she ruled the local tribes through fear and terror ever since.

 

CLOSING REMARKS:

Is this an action/adventure story? Yes and no.

This is a psychological and spiritual masterpiece disguised as an action/adventure book. It pushes the boundaries of how a finite human mind would handle the interaction with a god-like creature of infinite beauty and wisdom. How much could the human psychic take before snapping? Ayesha interacting with Holly and Leo is comparable to trying to pour a gallon of water into a 16-ounce cup. Too much beauty, too much knowledge, too much wisdom. As Holly himself puts it: “No man who once had seen She unveiled, and heard the music of her voice, and drunk in the bitter wisdom of her words, would willingly give up the sight for a whole sea of placid joys.”

This deals harshly with the finite limitations of the human psyche. Today we live in a society where the self is exalted. The worship of the self is probably the most widespread ‘religion’ in the West. I am strong, I am brave, I can accomplish anything! But reality is, man is puny and the human mind has limitations.

 

Before closing, I’ll leave you with this excerpt from Holly’s memoir, and please go read SHE!

 

“Who would so load up his back with memories of lost hours and loves, and of his neighbour’s sorrows that he cannot lessen, and wisdom that brings not consolation?”

Historical, Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc

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By Mark Twain

TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON

Reviewed by

In my humble opinion, this is the second ‘most quotable’ book in existence after the Holy Bible. Written by the author that was nicknamed ‘the father of American literature’-Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain, this masterpiece has a very special place in my heart for different reasons.

 

ME AND JOAN:

If you’ve followed me on social media for any amount of time, or even if you have randomly bumped into any of my posts, you might have noticed that I often bring up the character of Joan of Arc. That’s because the Maid of Orleans has a very special place in my heart, mind, and soul. I don’t want to get too esoteric but I’ve had Joan appear to me in dreams often or sometimes she will pop into my mind at the most unexpected times. Surely this is the result of the magnitude of impact she has had on my life. I feel a bond and connection that bypass time and space. There is no other character other than Jesus Christ that has influenced me to such an extent. Her life and death move me and inspire me daily.

 

WITCH OR SAINT?

There’s always been a lot of controversy around the image of Joan of Arc. Some revere her as a messenger of God and she is upheld and embraced by Catholicism at large. Others think that she was a witch or at best just a country girl with a mental disorder. Whatever your stand might be in that regard, her character and her story comprise what TRUE LEGENDS are made of.

I’m not Catholic, Mark Twain was not Catholic, yet both of us have been drawn to her character in love, awe, and reverence.

And there’s a reason why many others who are not of French nationality or of the Catholic faith love her and respect her so much. When you get to know the undisputed facts of her life story-including the heinous way in which she was tried, convicted, and executed…how could you not?

PLOT:

The story in Personal Recollections is told from the perspective of Joan of Arc’s paige, Louis de Contes. He was one of the closest people to Joan, from her childhood to her becoming commander-in-chief of the French army. He was witness to her upbringing from an uneducated farm girl in a small town of France to leading her country to freedom. Louis de Contes was always by her side first as a childhood friend, then as her paige. And this is his account of what he witnessed during those years. He recalls these events as an old man looking back, and the emotions are quite palpable through the lines so magnificently written by Mark Twain.

Though some events are fictionalized they don’t depart too far from the essence that was Joan of Arc and her life events. Mark Twain was very clear on not altering the elements that mattered most.

 

The book is structured into three main parts:

 

Part 1: In Domremy

Part 2: In Court and Camp

Part 3: Trial and Martyrdom

 

This is a labor of love and hard work, for it took Mark Twain 12 years of research and writing to bring it to completion.

CHARACTERS:

What makes this story so rich is the fact that not only you have such a magnetic character as Joan herself, but a series of side characters so rich in personality that entire books could be written about them: from the Fairy Tree to her childhood friends; from Joan’s siblings to the people at court and the giant bodyguard known as the Dwarf. These are all rich characters that don’t just stand around to take up space but prove to be of fundamental importance to the plot. Some of them are funny (Paladin, the standard bearer) and some of them are despicable (the king’s counselors). Mark Twain is a master at creating stories within a story.

 

CLOSING REMARKS:

Mark Twain wrote some of the greatest pieces of American literature (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; Adventure of Huckleberry Finn) and yet even he himself went on record to say that Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc was his best book. And it is!

 

Ask yourself this: why would an acclaimed American writer such as Twain take interest in a French national hero and saint of the Catholic Church? Twain himself grew up in a Southern culture that was openly hostile to Roman Catholicism.

The answer is very simple: Joan of Arc.

Joan of Arc is more than just a national hero to the French or a saint to the Roman Catholic Church. She is everything that is good, wholesome, truthful, godly. But also mysterious, enigmatic, peculiar, at times weird even… and that’s why we LOVE her!

 

“She was truthful when lying was the common speech of men.

She was honest when honesty had become a lost virtue.

She was a keeper of promises when the keeping of a promise was expected of no one.”

 

This shouldn’t be just the next book on your TBR list, my friends. This is the textbook every family should keep next to the Holy Bible. This is the book parents should read to their children. This is the book that you want to have always around to go back and rediscover over and over again. Its wisdom, humor, drama, adventures, and holiness are to be praised till the end of days.

~ Never Forget~

🦀

Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

Sara was Judith by Julian Hawthorne

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TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON

The Strange Recollections of Martha Klemm: Sara was Judith 

by Julian Hawthorne

~ Reviewed by

Sara was Judith is a novel that many today label as ‘weird pulp’ but I personally don’t like that term because it unfairly limits the range and multifaceted aspects of this novel.

It first appeared in 1920 as part of The Strange Recollections of Martha Klemm written by Julian Hawthorne. Recently, a splendid new edition was released by Cirsova Publishing in collaboration with none other than Wild Stars’ creator Michael Tierney. Shout out to Cirsova and Tierney; we need more of these gems of fiction literature to be brought back to life (pun intended, for those who’ve already read this story!).

THE AUTHOR:

Hawthorne is a very introspective writer and is able to dissect a character’s profile with surgical precision, both from a physical and psychological standpoint. He also applies this overly descriptive style of writing to things, even natural events. The description of an incoming storm in chapter 9 is perhaps one of the highlights of the entire novel. Not only does it represent one of the most crucial moments in the plot but it is also able to transport the reader right into the middle of this incoming thunderstorm in New England with such realistic description of prelude/destruction/aftermath that the memory of it all will certainly linger in the mind long after putting down the book. 

PLOT:

It would be hard to speak of the plot in a way that would aid this review. Not much can be dispelled if you want to experience the full impact of it. Basically this is all narrated from the perspective of Martha Klemm, who tells us about one of her former school friends, Sara, and how strangely fascinating a person she was since childhood. In her adult life she marries and against all odds (read the story for further details) she gives birth to a daughter, Judith. To the big surprise of Martha, the daughter is nothing like her unattractive and ordinary parents. When tragedy strikes and Judith dies in a tragic accident Sara commits suicide by hanging. But then a few hours after being declared officially dead, she wakes up…Only that as time goes on Martha senses that her long-time friend is acting more like her deceased daughter Judith…

 

LOCATIONS:

Events will take the reader from Boston to Long Island, from Paris to London, from Geneva to Dresden. Again, the blend of Hawthorne’s attention to detail combined with his personal experience (he himself had visited those places) really offer a ‘virtual’ roundtrip fair to these captivating locations: visit the most gorgeous XIX century homes and hotels, attend the most prestigious plays in some of the most renowned theaters, and meet some of the most peculiar and fascinating people. THAT alone is worth reading this book!

MYSTERY:

The story slowly raises a series of mysteries before the reader. Who is Sara/Judith really? What’s her real purpose? Why does her persona seem to have such a magnetic effect on men (and women) alike? Is she angel or demon, Martha asks herself?

SUPERNATURAL–THEN AND NOW:

If we read a novel like SWJ and compare it to most current novels that deal somewhat with the ‘supernatural’ we will notice that much has changed. Today it seems as though readers always expect a very direct and graphic approach: demon-possessed characters who speak with guttural voices, climb walls like Spiderman, or can turn their necks a whole 360 degrees! But I ask: does all that create a more suspenseful and compelling story at the end of the day?

Hawthorne adopts a completely different approach; he is subtle and challenges the reader to try and find out who exactly Sara/Judith is. There’s no need to change her voice, or give her red eyes, or fangs. In fact, her sweet charming voice and irresistible beauty are the most frightening of elements in the story: “Kiss me! I bring you all the kingdoms of the earth! Nothing can stand against legion! Tonight was the beginning of our festival. Together, we’ll depopulate the world! Come—” This is mental and spiritual warfare at its highest level! 

CONCLUSION:

Sara Was Judith is a masterpiece in my opinion. I can’t even classify it into a specific genre because there’s too much it unpacks. I’m not sure if Hawthorne was a Christian believer but there are a lot of Biblical references all throughout the story that are accurate and heighten the intrinsic value of this novel. We also have many references to Greek and Roman mythology, all adding layers upon layers to a story that up to this day, still leaves me in awe and wonder!

Legends live on!

🦀

 

Stay tuned for the next review in our Trends Die Out/Legends Live On series:

SHE by H. R. HaggardÂ