I have to admit this is the first Aussie author I have had the pleasure of actually reading. Kylie Chan is an Aussie whose hubby is from Hongkong. Having lived in China for many years, she actually did a lot of research into Chinese mythology and brings Chinese deities to life in modern day Hongkong in a thrilling series of books, the first of which is the trilogy, "Dark Heavens".
Xuan Hu, the North Wind and god of the martial arts, is in his human form a Chinese business man in love with a human. In his human form, he is weak and the target of attack by demons. The interesting thing is the hybrid demons being made by a super-evil super-demon thirsting to become King of Demons. (This in itself is a powerful campaign against bioengineering.)
Books in the trilogy introduce each of the deities, "White Tiger", "Red Phoenix" and "Blue Dragon", the three other Winds, depicted as interesting lovable characters with lives and tales of their own, centered around the main theme of protecting Xuan Hu's progeny and ridding the world of evil.
Not quite pulp fiction, but an interesting genre in itself. Light reading, keeps you hanging out for more.
I'm now onto the next series "Journey to Wudang", Xuan Hu's celestial abode. The third book comes out in July, completing the second trilogy. Hope to finish the first two before then.
Have a go mate, good stuff.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Storyteller - Mario Vargas Llosa
Saul Zuratas is an astutely intelligent Peruvian lad of Jewish extraction, the son of a jewish grocer and a Creole mother. The author meets Saul at the University where they are both enrolled to study Law. Saul's father has high expectations of his son, who on the other hand finds himself drawn to ethnology, his interests fuelled by his fascination of indigenous tribes and their way of life. Saul passionately defends the rights of the indigenous people of Peru, to uphold their beliefs, their culture and individuality, in a world that is rapidly being engulfed by western aculturation, through missionaries and other agencies.
In a doctor-student format, the author skillfully presents the pros and cons of modernization of the Amazonian tribes, the pros greatly outweighing the cons. The author is puzzled at Saul's emotional defence of the aboriginal tribes, while acknowledging the downside of remaining entrenched in ancient myth and superstition. Saul suddenly announces his return to Israel, and the story takes us into the forests of the Amazon where we explore the mores and means of the Machiguenga tribes. We learn of the three most important people in the anarchic tribe - the sorcerer, the priest and the mysterious Hablador, the story teller.
Intertwined through all this is the story of Saul himself.
Over time the inevitable process of westernization takes place through religious and linguistic conversion. The Bible is translated into Machiguenga dialects, governmental heirarchy established . Yet there is a strange twist that makes us think.
It is true that superstition is a product of ignorance, leading to or stemming from fear of the unknown. Aculturation and education do take people into a more sustainable way of life. However, deep within us all, there is a uniqueness that defines us. "Culture is the way we approach life's situations, not the way we dress or speak".
Is it possible for a man of reason and scientific understanding to revert to a magico-religious culture? Why would he do that anyway, unless it is social acceptance he seeks?
I love this book. My new favourite author. At first I thought he would be something along the tradition of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He is very different, and I look forward to reading some of his more contemporary novels. Watch this space.
In a doctor-student format, the author skillfully presents the pros and cons of modernization of the Amazonian tribes, the pros greatly outweighing the cons. The author is puzzled at Saul's emotional defence of the aboriginal tribes, while acknowledging the downside of remaining entrenched in ancient myth and superstition. Saul suddenly announces his return to Israel, and the story takes us into the forests of the Amazon where we explore the mores and means of the Machiguenga tribes. We learn of the three most important people in the anarchic tribe - the sorcerer, the priest and the mysterious Hablador, the story teller.
Intertwined through all this is the story of Saul himself.
Over time the inevitable process of westernization takes place through religious and linguistic conversion. The Bible is translated into Machiguenga dialects, governmental heirarchy established . Yet there is a strange twist that makes us think.
It is true that superstition is a product of ignorance, leading to or stemming from fear of the unknown. Aculturation and education do take people into a more sustainable way of life. However, deep within us all, there is a uniqueness that defines us. "Culture is the way we approach life's situations, not the way we dress or speak".
Is it possible for a man of reason and scientific understanding to revert to a magico-religious culture? Why would he do that anyway, unless it is social acceptance he seeks?
I love this book. My new favourite author. At first I thought he would be something along the tradition of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He is very different, and I look forward to reading some of his more contemporary novels. Watch this space.
Harry Potter Series
I haven't been here for almost 4 months. That doesn't mean I haven't done any reading. On the contrary. I decided to do some light reading that I had deliberately been avoiding just because. But I was curious to see what the fuss was all about.
One of the items on my to-do-list was to read all the Harry Potter books at one go. And that's what I did during the last two months of the previous decade, in between visits to the East and West Coast of the USA, a wedding, and flying across the big pond to Australia.
I must say, I loved the books, except the fourth - 'The Order of the Phoenix', despite watching the movies before hand. That didn't seem to impact on my reading at all, probably because the movies were so easily forgetable compared to the books.
It was pleasant, predictable and all rather pointless, which is the whole point of leisure reading.
I shall say no more. I'm glad I read them all at one go. Seems to make heaps more sense.
One of the items on my to-do-list was to read all the Harry Potter books at one go. And that's what I did during the last two months of the previous decade, in between visits to the East and West Coast of the USA, a wedding, and flying across the big pond to Australia.
I must say, I loved the books, except the fourth - 'The Order of the Phoenix', despite watching the movies before hand. That didn't seem to impact on my reading at all, probably because the movies were so easily forgetable compared to the books.
It was pleasant, predictable and all rather pointless, which is the whole point of leisure reading.
I shall say no more. I'm glad I read them all at one go. Seems to make heaps more sense.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon
This was a bit lame after "Wonder Boys" and "The adventures of Kavalier and Clay". Not surprising, since "Mysteries of Pittsburgh" was indeed the author's very first book. One can see his arduous attempt at mimicking Dickens in his depiction of the human condition in modern day America. The murky, seedier side of reality portrayed by Chabon, reminds us of how easily we too can become victims of circumstance. In his own subtly humorous style, the author takes us through the smog of depravity as he unravels the drama of the life of Art Bechenstein.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
"Bright-sided" by Barbara Ehrenreich
The cover states "How the relentless promotion of positive thinking is undermining America". The author goes on to dissect the pathology of positivism and positive thinking across the spectrum of human existence from the trauma of cancer survivors to the angst of the global financial crisis.
She explains the origins of the highly exaggerated and popularised view-point of right thinking bringing right results, the results being largely confined to material prosperity. A negative attitude is frowned upon in all spheres of human activity leading to severe disciplinary action and even sacking in the workplace. In a very academic, business-like manner she decries the cheerleader-like promotion of fake happiness, quite rightly proclaiming it to be the source of all evil.
I have my own reservations regarding this book. This is not one that I would have picked off the shelf on my own. This was one of the books recommended by my book-club, a luxury I can indulge in during my time off work! Reading through the chapters is like walking down a street of ugly appartment blocks, each one identical to the one before. The names of the blocks change, but everything else remains the same. One keeps turning the pages hoping for a change in the scenary, waiting for that twist in the plot. We've got the idea by chapter three, and yes, I can see what you are trying to say. The author doesn't stop killing mosquitoes with a sledge hammer. She goes on to make that molotov cocktail that will completely eradicate the insect kingdom.
It doesn't work does it.
This is not an author I would like to meet. This is one cantakerous grouch.
She explains the origins of the highly exaggerated and popularised view-point of right thinking bringing right results, the results being largely confined to material prosperity. A negative attitude is frowned upon in all spheres of human activity leading to severe disciplinary action and even sacking in the workplace. In a very academic, business-like manner she decries the cheerleader-like promotion of fake happiness, quite rightly proclaiming it to be the source of all evil.
I have my own reservations regarding this book. This is not one that I would have picked off the shelf on my own. This was one of the books recommended by my book-club, a luxury I can indulge in during my time off work! Reading through the chapters is like walking down a street of ugly appartment blocks, each one identical to the one before. The names of the blocks change, but everything else remains the same. One keeps turning the pages hoping for a change in the scenary, waiting for that twist in the plot. We've got the idea by chapter three, and yes, I can see what you are trying to say. The author doesn't stop killing mosquitoes with a sledge hammer. She goes on to make that molotov cocktail that will completely eradicate the insect kingdom.
It doesn't work does it.
This is not an author I would like to meet. This is one cantakerous grouch.
"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert
By now most of you must have either read the book or seen the movie. The Wikipedia describes the book as 'one woman's search for everything across Italy, Indonesia and India'. I beg to differ.
Elizabeth Gilbert, a recently divorced woman, unable to cope with life for reasons untold, finds herself weeping uncontrollably on her bathroom floor. In what seems to be an epiphany, she decides she needs to go to Italy to speak Italian, a language she loves. And then she decides she needs to meet up with her spiritual guru in India.If that was not enough, she also remembers a wizend old medicine man in Bali and his hot prediction of her return, which somehow seems very significant.Unable to decide between the three options, she travels to all three destinations, seeking whatever it was she was she wanted to find, presumably an answer to her prayers.
In Italy she finds herself eating everything she could get her hands on. One would suppose that is all there is to do in the land of Da Vinci, Gallileo and Pinocchio. She ditches her Italian classes in favour of the 'real thing' - chatting with people in restaurants and cafes while expanding her gastronomical prowess.
In India she checks into an Ashram whose identity remains undisclosed. Her quest for spirituality is interspersed with dreams, visions and a lot of frustration. She eventually seems to graduate into a state of contented sanity, which speaks volumes about the benefits of scrubbing the floor. Believing that she has found the God of her dreams she moves on to Bali looking for the medicine man.
He has no idea who she is or what on earth she is talking about when Elizabeth finally finds her man. Well ofcourse he has to keep his business going. Many tiresome pages later she finally finds what she has been looking for all along - a lover.
The book left me indifferent, unimpressed and a bit bored. Like vapid pasta.
Elizabeth Gilbert, a recently divorced woman, unable to cope with life for reasons untold, finds herself weeping uncontrollably on her bathroom floor. In what seems to be an epiphany, she decides she needs to go to Italy to speak Italian, a language she loves. And then she decides she needs to meet up with her spiritual guru in India.If that was not enough, she also remembers a wizend old medicine man in Bali and his hot prediction of her return, which somehow seems very significant.Unable to decide between the three options, she travels to all three destinations, seeking whatever it was she was she wanted to find, presumably an answer to her prayers.
In Italy she finds herself eating everything she could get her hands on. One would suppose that is all there is to do in the land of Da Vinci, Gallileo and Pinocchio. She ditches her Italian classes in favour of the 'real thing' - chatting with people in restaurants and cafes while expanding her gastronomical prowess.
In India she checks into an Ashram whose identity remains undisclosed. Her quest for spirituality is interspersed with dreams, visions and a lot of frustration. She eventually seems to graduate into a state of contented sanity, which speaks volumes about the benefits of scrubbing the floor. Believing that she has found the God of her dreams she moves on to Bali looking for the medicine man.
He has no idea who she is or what on earth she is talking about when Elizabeth finally finds her man. Well ofcourse he has to keep his business going. Many tiresome pages later she finally finds what she has been looking for all along - a lover.
The book left me indifferent, unimpressed and a bit bored. Like vapid pasta.
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