Some of the best things in the world comes in threes.
Look at children's stories. Look at Goldilocks. She goes to the Bears' house, tastes three bowls of porridge, sits in three different chairs, and lays down in three different beds. Of course, when the three Bears come home she jumps out a window in fright, but aside from that, the Rule of Three plays out beautifully.
Look at the three little pigs. They each build a house - one of straw, one of wood, and one of brick - and the wolf comes and huffs and puffs on houses one, two, and three... even though he doesn't knock number three down. Again, here's the Rule of Three.
Look at Jack and the Beanstalk. He goes up the stalk three times before the giant chases him down and Jack is able to kill him. Three again.
My favourite things in life come in groups of threes. God, family, and books.
Food comes in three stages. Preparatory, (chopping, mincing, blending, etc.) cooking, and EATING! :)
Take a look at plants. One of the most famous plants, the clover, has three petals.
Look at the virtues. Faith, hope, and charity are a group of three.
Families are arranged in groups of threes. Father, mother, and children.
Then my favourite. God is Three Persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Starcrossed
The first chapter of STARCROSSED starts off with a chase. A nighttime chase. A very intense paragraph of chase that introduces us to Digger, the heroine of Elizabeth C. Bunce's beautiful fantasy set in the world of Llyvaraneth.
After a job-gone-wrong, accomplished thief and liar Digger is forced to flee the perilous city of Gerse. Sheer luck leads her into the hands of four young "nobs," or nobles, out for a cruise on their river boat. They offer her passage out of the city. Digger, under the pseudonym of Celyn Contrare, accepts the offer. On the boat, she notices that one of the nobles, a girl named Merista Nemair, seems to have a propensity to magic, a dangerous thing in Gerse where magic is forbidden. She does not mention this, though, for to mention it would reveal that she, too, has an affinity to magic.
Digger is taken to the home of the Nemairs, the parents of Merista Nemair. There, she is offered the position as Merista's lady's maid, a position she accepts. Later, this position obliges her to travel with the family to their keep called Bryn Shaer, where they will celebrate Merista's coming-of-age birthday. At first, all seems well and good. But then comes Lord Remy Daul, a supposed friend of Merista's father, with a bitter secret and vengeful heart bent on destroying the Nemair fanily. With his arrival, Digger's world is turned upside down, and when Daul discovers her true nature, he blackmails her into assisting him with the search that will, he hope, lead to the Nemair's downfall.
Full of unexpected twists and surprising characters, STARCROSSED is an engaging, fascinating read.
I really enjoyed this story. The first chapter was a race to read, moved along very quickly, and kept my interest completely captivated. The next few chapters, when Digger is escaping Gerse and meeting the young nobles, is a bit on the slow side, but I understand the reason of this because the author is introducing us to the complex world of Llyvaraneth, with all its politics, classes of people, and beliefs. Once I reached Bryn Shaer, though, I didn't want to put the book down until I'd completely finished.
There are "religions" in this story, as well as reference to gods and goddesses, and though I don't approve of gods and goddesses in my fantasies, the author handled it with grace and skill. She did not shove it down your throat. It was simply presented as a way of life.
Digger was an empathetic character. She was believable, captivating, and spunky without being a brat. She had a sense of honour about her, and unexpected determination to do what she felt was right.
Perhaps one of the things that I didn't like, and "censored" as I read, were the subtle innuendos and slightly offish descriptions that very, very lightly peppered this book.
I would probably have given this book at least four-and-a-half stars, were it not for the offish bits. However, because of that, I offer her four stars.
My rating:
****
After a job-gone-wrong, accomplished thief and liar Digger is forced to flee the perilous city of Gerse. Sheer luck leads her into the hands of four young "nobs," or nobles, out for a cruise on their river boat. They offer her passage out of the city. Digger, under the pseudonym of Celyn Contrare, accepts the offer. On the boat, she notices that one of the nobles, a girl named Merista Nemair, seems to have a propensity to magic, a dangerous thing in Gerse where magic is forbidden. She does not mention this, though, for to mention it would reveal that she, too, has an affinity to magic.
Digger is taken to the home of the Nemairs, the parents of Merista Nemair. There, she is offered the position as Merista's lady's maid, a position she accepts. Later, this position obliges her to travel with the family to their keep called Bryn Shaer, where they will celebrate Merista's coming-of-age birthday. At first, all seems well and good. But then comes Lord Remy Daul, a supposed friend of Merista's father, with a bitter secret and vengeful heart bent on destroying the Nemair fanily. With his arrival, Digger's world is turned upside down, and when Daul discovers her true nature, he blackmails her into assisting him with the search that will, he hope, lead to the Nemair's downfall.
Full of unexpected twists and surprising characters, STARCROSSED is an engaging, fascinating read.
I really enjoyed this story. The first chapter was a race to read, moved along very quickly, and kept my interest completely captivated. The next few chapters, when Digger is escaping Gerse and meeting the young nobles, is a bit on the slow side, but I understand the reason of this because the author is introducing us to the complex world of Llyvaraneth, with all its politics, classes of people, and beliefs. Once I reached Bryn Shaer, though, I didn't want to put the book down until I'd completely finished.
There are "religions" in this story, as well as reference to gods and goddesses, and though I don't approve of gods and goddesses in my fantasies, the author handled it with grace and skill. She did not shove it down your throat. It was simply presented as a way of life.
Digger was an empathetic character. She was believable, captivating, and spunky without being a brat. She had a sense of honour about her, and unexpected determination to do what she felt was right.
Perhaps one of the things that I didn't like, and "censored" as I read, were the subtle innuendos and slightly offish descriptions that very, very lightly peppered this book.
I would probably have given this book at least four-and-a-half stars, were it not for the offish bits. However, because of that, I offer her four stars.
My rating:
****
Friday, May 27, 2011
Writing from the Heart
How do you judge a book?
I love books where I really connect with the MC, and really empathize with the situation. I love it when I'm hanging on with every breath for the character, and can't stop turning the pages.
A good example of this is Starcrossed. I really loved this book. There was a little bit of inuendo that I didn't like, but it was minimal, and the main character, Digger, was so alive that I could "censor" the bits I didn't like and devour the rest. I started the book, and though I thought it started off a teensy bit slow, there was a point where it knocked a stone loose, and the rest of the story went hurtling down the mountainside at a niftly clip. I am looking forward to Elizabeth C. Bunce's other books in her Thief Errant series, the second of which is called Liar's Moon.
On the flip side, I just finished the book The Last Hunt, the last book in the Unicorn Chronicles. I've read the other books in the series, and of course I had to read this one. Bruce Coville is a really great author. I couldn't stop reading, for all his chapters ended on a cliffhanger, and you just couldn't stop there, you know? However, I just didn't connect with his characters, ANY of his characters, the main character, the protagonist, the secondary character, any of them. So I finished that book with a feeling of dissatisfaction.
What is your opinion on books? Will you keep reading, even if you don't connect with the character?
I love books where I really connect with the MC, and really empathize with the situation. I love it when I'm hanging on with every breath for the character, and can't stop turning the pages.
A good example of this is Starcrossed. I really loved this book. There was a little bit of inuendo that I didn't like, but it was minimal, and the main character, Digger, was so alive that I could "censor" the bits I didn't like and devour the rest. I started the book, and though I thought it started off a teensy bit slow, there was a point where it knocked a stone loose, and the rest of the story went hurtling down the mountainside at a niftly clip. I am looking forward to Elizabeth C. Bunce's other books in her Thief Errant series, the second of which is called Liar's Moon.
On the flip side, I just finished the book The Last Hunt, the last book in the Unicorn Chronicles. I've read the other books in the series, and of course I had to read this one. Bruce Coville is a really great author. I couldn't stop reading, for all his chapters ended on a cliffhanger, and you just couldn't stop there, you know? However, I just didn't connect with his characters, ANY of his characters, the main character, the protagonist, the secondary character, any of them. So I finished that book with a feeling of dissatisfaction.
What is your opinion on books? Will you keep reading, even if you don't connect with the character?
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