Tolkien Tourism

Did you know 'Tolkien Tourism' has its own Wikipedia page? Mm, yup - Tolkien Tourism.

It's basically the term used to describe the pilgrimage fans of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film franchises take to the locations that stand in for places described in Tolkien's original novels in the films.

As the films were filmed almost entirely in New Zealand, that's pretty much where these 'Ringers' (as I've just learned they're called) want to go. Now I wouldn't call myself a Ringer, not even close, and I didn't make it to Hobbiton sadly, but even I knew that leaving New Zealand without seeing Mount Doom would be 'literarily' (the red wiggly line tells me this is not a word?) blasphemous.

I would have loved to do the Tongariro Crossing where you trek between the two volcanoes and climb Mount Doom itself, but time was not on my side sadly.

I'm sure New Zealand has a weird relationship with Lord of the Rings. On the one side, you don't exactly want your distinguishing feature to be your use as a film set, but on the other side I'm pretty sure half the planet didn't know New Zealand was a place you could actually go, let alone that it was as beautiful as it is. I mean what else would let you get away with hanging a huge model of Gollum over the departure lounge at Wellington Airport?

With horses grazing on the lush green mountains, turquoise lakes, milky glacier rivers, the clear blue ocean of the Coromandel Penninsula and the dramatic jet black rocks and moody waters of the South Island, Peter Jackson probably couldn't have found a more perfect Middle Earth.

I was lucky to walk in the shadows of Mount Doom, took some hobbits horses to Isengard and through the Dead Marshes, cycle through Rohan and go through the forests of Rivendell, Dimrill Dale and Chetwood Forest.

Embarrassingly, it was actually the latest adaptation of CS Lewis's Prince Caspian that first made me want to go to New Zealand. Using Cathedral Cove, the film captured a very different side to New Zealand but no less beautiful - I mean seriously? This place exists? This planet is awesome.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit trilogy; a filmic masterpiece or an exercise in making the longest films ever out of a very average sized book? As much as I'd like to believe and feel the former, I am desperately struggling to get past the latter unfortunately.

I think if I were a film maker *makes mental note for whenever Stylist magazine ask me my Plan B career* I would struggle to not want to make my mark. I heard last week that Scorcese has allegedly managed to make it into the record books with The Wolf of Wall Street by making a movie that has the highest usage of the F-word in any other movie other than a film about the F-word itself... over 500 utterances apparently. If Peter Jackson's adaptation of the Tolkein classic is indeed an indulgent attempt to make it into the record books with the greatest amount of screen-time per page of a single novel, then I have to say he's doing a pretty good job. I'm not going to go out there and say it's the best film I saw last year. It's far from it: it's too long and it's not got enough content to stop me from looking at my watch... but it could be SO much worse.

Maybe not the words Peter Jackson wants to hear from the likes of Empire or Total Film, but I'm pretty sure he won't give a hobbit's foot what I think so I'll make the most of my insignificance.

I definitely preferred this film to the first in the trilogy. The plot still feels stretched but overall it felt more 'whole' somehow, like it stood by itself better than the first. The ending was less abrupt too, a nice cameo from Orlando Bloom, a bit of dwarf flirting that was absent from part 1, LOVED the melting gold and there was a little bit more pretty in the form of Bard the Bowman for which I was thankful. Talking of casting, if there were ever a film that better solidified the fact that Benedict Cumberbatch will become the next Anthony Hopkins or Michael Gambon of brilliant British voiceovers, then I don't know what will. Cumberbatch as Smaug has got to be a highlight.

Overall, I'd wait for it on DVD if it weren't for the stunning scenery that continues to scene steal throughout.

Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis

So I know I told you all about my weekend in Bath last week but what I didn't say was my highlight: finding a copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in Latin... who knew?! No offence to Caecillius, but Latin could have been a whole lot more interesting learning about Dominus et Domina Dursley and Harrius Potter.

JK Rowling's Potter series has been translated into over 70 different languages and variations now but just how do you translate all the spells, incantations and place names? To readers of English, the latin phrases are, in most cases, recognisable without too much explanation, but what if you're reading in Asia or Africa? Of course you could just leave the words as they are but some translators have gone the extra mile and created different names that have more meaning to their readers. For instance, in Hindi editions of the novels, the Sanskrit has been used to create the same effect.

   

   

Iain Banks Dies of Cancer, Age 59

Iain Banks wrote an impressive 27 novels in his career as a novelist, a career that earned him a number of awards and high praise across the world. His first novel, The Wasp Factory, was published in 1984 and in a 1997 poll was named one of the top 100 novels of the Twentieth Century. He has gone on to write both commercial and science fiction titles, the latter written under the name Iain M Banks (the 'M' standing for his adopted middle name, Menzies).

In April 2013, Banks wrote a moving note to his fans via his website announcing that he had terminal cancer. Unsurprisingly, Banks received a large wave of public support, which he was said to have been deeply moved by. The note, beautifully written of course, said that Banks was unlikely to survive a year but on 9th June, only two months later, his family released a statement to say that the Scottish writer had passed away.

Sadly, despite a big effort on the part of his publisher Little, Brown, Banks was not able to see the publication of his final novel, The Quarry, which will be published on 20th June 2013.

You can read Banks' eloquent letter here.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

It’s all done. I have finished the Hunger Games trilogy. I thought it was really pretty good stuff. The plot is stellar with lots of excitement in this tranche of the story and, finally, I actually like Katniss. I know; it was a momentous breakthrough read.

Previously, and sometimes in this book too to be honest, Katniss just came across a little arrogant and always acting the martyr, which I find a little tiring… “Oh how will anyone be able to live if I do not protect them?” This time, though, a mixture of influences let me see that she’s not really that bad. First influence? My sister. She sat me down and explained the complexities of her character, what drives her and pointed out that really there were quite a lot of reasons why Katniss might not have turned out to be the most appealing person – extreme tragedy in her childhood, having to be an adult for her family since she was a tiddler, oh and the whole being forced to leave home and kill loads of people… so I start to sympathise.

Second influence? The writing just isn’t amazing, ok? So her narration was never going to get off to a good start. Don’t get me wrong, and I’ve said this before, amazing writing isn’t the primary concern for a kids book, but it did let Katniss down in this one aspect, I felt.

Third influence? Watching the film because Jennifer Lawrence is just so blooming awesome that there is no way anyone with a heart couldn’t like her. Simples.

Now, to the plot: No Hunger Games this time (for whatever reason you want to assume, people who have not read it) but that is not to the detriment of the action, I promise you. The Gale/Peeta conundrum heats up. President Snow is still an absolute a-hole. It’s all go go go! What I think I liked most about Mockingjay was the increased focus on Panem’s politics.

Overall I felt that although I was perhaps cruel about the writing and unfair on Katniss and her predicament in the first couple of books, the trilogy really is a masterpiece of imagination. Most importantly, it feels like it really could be real. I think that must be the key to the success of the top fantasy franchises – be it Potter, Twilight or Hunger Games – you have to believe these people exist and that the threats are very real. Suzanne Collins, for me, does this entirely.

Really enjoyed this and nothing like taking a break from the world of adult books for a bit. Really shout do it more often… Mockingjay gets 8/10!

Will Emma Watson fit the slipper for Branagh's Cinderella?

Is it just me or do we seem to be swamped by fairy tales at the moment? We've already had Red Riding Hood with Amanda Seyfried and two adaptations of Snow White in 2012 alone (Mirror Mirror with Julia Roberts and Snow White and the Huntsman with Kristen Stewart). This year we have already had Hansel and Gretel and are about to be re-introduced to the world of Oz through Disney's Oz the Great and the Powerful.

Apparently, though, there are yet more retellings on the way and Harry Potter actress Emma Watson is rumoured to be in two of them: Guillermo de Toro's Beauty and the Beast and now she's about to try on Cinderella's glass slipper for Kenneth Branagh. The last part of that sentence sounds a little creepy for some reason... apologies.. Watson's involvement is still a rumour though, when it comes to Cinderella, and other actresses believed to be being considered for the role are Imogen Poots, Gabriella Wilde and Alicia Vikander. Hilariously, I read that back in 2009 Watson's name was attached to Marilyn Manson's rumoured gothic revamp of the fairy tale. Seems that never happened but that must be worth a look if it comes about?

It looks like Emma Watson might not be the only Hogwarts alumni to return to the world of monsters, though, as fans are petitioning for Tom Felton to play Beast opposite Watson's Belle... As amazing as that would be, I'm not keeping my hopes high...

Though it does look like co-star Daniel Radcliffe is very close to being confirmed as Igor in Paul McGuigan's adaptation of Frankenstein. Igor doesn't actually appear in Mary Shelley's original novel but featured in the 1939 film as a hunch-backed assistant to Frankenstein called Fritz, and again in subsequent films in the Frankenstein series as 'Ygor'. Igor has since become a stock character in interpretations of many Gothic films, including Dracula, Van Helsing and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Dark World for the Amala Children’s Home

Do you ever have those moments when you meet someone and as they keep talking you start to realise how much more exciting/fun/meaningful their life is than yours and that you really should be stepping up to the table of life and start making your contribution? Ok, so maybe just me, but everyone knows someone who is doing that little bit more for the world than you are.

I reckon the friends of teenager Timothy Parker Russell are all feeling a little bit like that. Only a sixth form student from the Wensleydale school in North Yorkshire, not only has Timothy has gone and collected together a selection of ghost stories and produced and published a book, but it's all in aid of Amala Children's Home in India.

Dark World is a limited edition book published by Yorkshire publisher, Tartarus Press, and features thirteen ghost stories by various different authors, some of which have written stories specially for this collection. 

The writers involved are Reggie Oliver, Christopher Fowler, Rhys Hughes, Mark Valentine, Anna Taborska, John Gaskin, Corinna Underwood, Rosalie Parker, Jason A. Wyckoff, Mark J. Saxton, Jayaprakash Satyamurthy, R.B. Russell, Stephen Holman and Steve Rasnic Tem.

Tolkein's Towers

You needn't have read Tolkien's famous Lord of the Rings trilogy, or perhaps even have seen the films, to know who he is and to have heard of the famous Two Towers that overlook his fictional Middle Earth: Minas Morgul and Orthanc.

Tolkien spent much of his childhood in Birmingham and it is thought that the two towers were inspired by two buildings that he would have been landmarks in his childhood memories of Stirling Road: Perrott's Folly and Edgbaston Waterworks Tower.

Built in 1758, Perrott's Folly is a 96 ft tall Georgian tower and Edgbaston Waterworks Tower, which stands close by, a grand Victorian building with distinct Gothic architecture. You can see why both towers would have caught any one's imagination. 

Perrott's Folly that once towered magnificently 139 narrow steps above a large park is now said to sway in strong winds and has rarely been opened since it was closed in 1979, has just been bought... for £1. Yup, no missing zeros - one single pound.

It's been bought by Trident Reach, The People Charity, who have reopened the tower for Birmingham's citizens and Tolkien pilgrims the world over after raising a million pounds to restore the historic landmark. The mastermind behind this project, Ben Bradley, is hoping that it will eventually be more than just a pit-stop on the tourist trail and instead grow into a place for people of all ages and backgrounds.

What to read when it's snowing?

There are plenty of stereotypes about the Brits - I'm sure we don't know most of them - but one that I am particularly fond of is our complete and utter obsession with the weather. We can't have a conversation without mentioning it, we are the first to jump out into the parks and onto the beaches as soon as it gets over 15 degrees, we deny profusely that it rains all year round (particularly when it's raining) and by God do we love talking about snow.Well, as it's been snowing quite a lot more than we are normally used to in London, I thought we needed a suitably snowy post. Here are three books that we should all get off the shelves when everything goes white and all we can do is snuggle down and read:

The Classic:

Dracula by Bram Stoker

"We are in Transylvania, and Transylvania is not England. Our ways are not your ways, and there shall be to you many strange things. Nay, from what you have told me of your experiences already, you know something of what strange things there may be."

Collected inside this book are diary entries, letters and newspaper clippings that piece together the depraved story of the ultimate predator. A young lawyer on an assignment finds himself imprisoned in a Transylvanian castle by his mysterious host. Back at home his fiancée and friends are menaced by a malevolent force which seems intent on imposing suffering and destruction. Can the devil really have arrived on England's shores? And what is it that he hungers for so desperately?

I'm a big fan of this book. It's a bit long but it really is all it's cracked up to be. For me, it is one of the few old fashioned scary books that is actually pretty scary. Oh, and it's absolutely swelling with innuendo...

The Costa:

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penny

“Clearly the secret of happiness...is a variation on the general principle of banging your head against a wall, and then stopping.” 

1867, Canada: as winter tightens its grip on the isolated settlement of Dove River, a man is brutally murdered and a 17-year old boy disappears. Tracks leaving the dead man's cabin head north towards the forest and the tundra beyond. In the wake of such violence, people are drawn to the township - journalists, Hudson's Bay Company men, trappers, traders - but do they want to solve the crime or exploit it? One-by-one the assembled searchers set out from Dove River, pursuing the tracks across a desolate landscape home only to wild animals, madmen and fugitives, variously seeking a murderer, a son, two sisters missing for 17 years, a Native American culture, and a fortune in stolen furs before the snows settle and cover the tracks of the past for good.

I absolutely loved this book. So much so that there is already a review of it on this blog! It's a real quiet, un-wordy book, which is sometimes just what you need - especially when it's snowing. It's also set in a very wintery landscape in northern Ontario. Read my review here.

The Children's Book:

Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

"You are so young, Lyra, too young to understand this, but I shall tell you anyway and you'll understand it later: men pass in front of our eyes like butterflies, creatures of a brief season. We love them; they are brave, proud, beautiful, clever; and they die almost at once. They die so soon that our hearts are continually racked with pain."

Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequnces far beyond her own world...

You can't get more snowy than the Arctic and that's exactly where you're taken in this absolute classic. I don't know anyone who has read this book and hasn't fallen completely in love with Lyra's world. It is simultaneously one of the most exciting, terrifying, emotionally testing and beautiful worlds you could come to in a book. I feel these kinds of worlds are reserved just for children but really we should all be reading them if we ever missed them as a child. Just to put a stop to all that squishiness, this trilogy is also flipping brutal. Perhaps that's why only kids should read it...

Day 20: Grimm's Fairy Tales

When I went to Cheltenham Literary Festival earlier this year, I went to see literary legend, Philip Pullman. He was there to talk about his latest book, his version of Grimm's Fairy Tales. I absolutely loved hearing from a writer that I followed so much as a child and even had the chance to ask him the question, why have fairy tales transformed from the horror of Grimm to the more quaint, Disneyfied children's stories of today?

For those of you who haven't read Grimm, you will understand what I mean when you do. Today marks the 200 years of the Grimm Brothers' Die Kinder und Hausmärchen (Children's and Household Tales), a collection of 86 stories that would shape and inform storytelling for centuries. At university even, I wrote my dissertation on the reasons behind and effects of modern reworkings of myth and fairy tales.

Although the likes of Angela Carter have formed adult interpretations that are, arguably, closer to the originals in tone, they have become more and more associated with children. Dare I say, they've even become 'Christmassy' with their traditional style and associations with family. Really, though, they are pretty grim (there was no way I was going to get through this entire post without using that terrible pun...). Being called 'Children's and Household Tales', though, meant that many changes were called for in the first volumes. It is thought the wicked stepmothers in stories such as Snow White and Hansel and Gretel were originally simply wicked mothers but it was thought to be inappropriate for children...

Here are some fairy tales, some Grimm, some not, that are not quite as sweet as Disney makes us believe:

Sleeping Beauty? Not kissed by a charming prince, but raped by the King. She then, still asleep, proceeds to give birth to TWO children.

In two different version of the Three Bears, Goldilocks either gets ripped apart and eaten or brutally breaks her neck in the process of fleeing the animals out the window.

Cinderella Grimm-stylee? The stepsisters proceed to chop off parts of their own feet so as to fool the prince by fitting into the slipper. The prince finds out though and punishment comes to the sisters in the form of two pigeons who peck out their eyes so that they live the rest of their lives as blind beggars... lovely!

The story that Philip Pullman talked about in his talk and is arguably the most gruesome: The Girl Without Hands - need I say more?

Good Night to Twilight

When seventeen-year-old Isabella Swan moves to Forks, Washington to live with her father she expects that her new life will be as dull as the town itself.

In spite of her awkward manner and low expectations, she finds that her new classmates are drawn to this pale, dark-haired new girl in town. But not, it seems, the Cullen family. These five adopted brothers and sisters obviously prefer their own company and will make no exception for Bella.

Bella is convinced that Edward Cullen in particular hates her, but she feels a strange attraction to him, although his hostility makes her feel almost physically ill. He seems determined to push her away - until, that is, he saves her life from an out of control car.

Bella will soon discover that there is a very good reason for Edward's coldness. He, and his family, are vampires - and he knows how dangerous it is for others to get too close.

I'm going to put it out there. I absolutely loved the first Twilight film. It was all blue and hazy, the soundtrack was top notch and Robert Pattinson was undeniably fit and, more importantly, looked clean. Plus, I've always wanted to go to Oregon and take in that spectacular coast, potter around Portland and jump from tree to tree. Ok, so maybe the last bit is more tricky. I bite my nails, you see, so no grip. Sad times.

The Young Adult book market shows that the idea itself, albeit simple, was pretty genius. No one can deny that. The Twilight saga has spawned shelves and shelves of werewolf and vampire fiction and, as with all those successful teen franchises, millions of lookalike dolls, craft sets, halloween outfits, XBOX games etc. For all that, I give it to Stephanie Meyer, she's taken a massive slice of the teen market when no one thought anyone could even try to rival Potter.

The films are also beautifully shot. The most recent one being no exception (I saw it on Wednesday at the BFI IMAX... how BIG is that screen!?) The different filters that make each film stand out from one another works really well and the special effects are pretty umm.. effective?

The book I really struggled with, though. I don't mean the writing is too hard... it's possibly the easiest read in the world and I'd definitely recommend to people who want some quick entertainment. I don't want to upset anyone here but I guess I had two main issues with the series as a whole. The first being slightly snobby and admittedly not necessarily fair as it is, first and foremost, a kids book. The writing is just not good. It's pretty repetitive, lots of 'perfect' this and 'marble' that, and it's full of the kind of embarrassing cliches that EL James would envy as well as sentences like this... 'Aro started to laugh. "Ha, ha, ha," he chuckled' courtesy of New Moon. It's not just the wording that is repetitive, but the story too. I really struggled to find anything new in any of the sequels. The characters seemed to never develop properly.

As I said though, it feels mean picking apart the writing because most children really don't care. I know I didn't when I read some pretty standard writing from the wonderful JK Rowling. But for me, and this is subjective so don't persecute me Twi-hards, JK had such amazing detail - it was a completely new world and language - and the characters really grew. In Twilight, Bella Swan comes across as this weak girl who needs a predatory male to keep her happy - I'm not quite sure that is a good depiction of young women, which is worrying given they make up most of Meyer's readership.

I don't mean to Twilight bash as I'm a big fan of the first film (I own it on DVD...) and I think it's both naive and wrong to say that something is entirely bad, especially when it has done so well. Meyer has done many things right. Who doesn't enjoy a love story anyway? But for me it was just no where close to Harry Potter in terms of sophistication of plot and characters... she says nervously... what a twist though in the final film... did NOT see that coming. Feeling 'mugged' as my cinema companion so eloquently described it.

Introducing... Bram Stoker

Google is celebrating Bram Stoker's 165th birthday today. I, naturally, already knew that... obviously... right... hmm. Anyways, seemed apt timing to do a post on the Irish novelist.

Bram Stoker was born in Dublin in November 1847, just a month after the publication of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre (under the pen name of Currer Bell) and a month before Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Perhaps there was something in the water but it seems that there was a good chance that either Stoker was going to go all Tiresias on us and morph into a Bronte sister or more likely, as a normal person might think, become fascinated by the Victorian Gothic and go on to write one of the genre's most famous novels: Dracula.

Despite his fame as a novelist, Stoker began his career in theatre. He worked for the likes of Victorian stage actor Henry Irving and, tellingly, Gothic short story writer Le Fanu who co-owned the Dublin Evening Mail for which Stoker was the theatre critic.

Stoker married Florence Balcombe, an old flame of contemporary, Oscar Wilde - pretty narrow escape for her I'd have thought... although I'd have always thought quite nice to be the muse of the gLitterati.... see what I did there?

Glam Bram

Stoker wrote his first novel, The Primrose Path, in 1875 while he was working with Irving. Irving's tours saw Stoker travel all over the world, on two occasions being invited to the White House! Not bad for someone who was yet to be known much in Britain, let alone the States, although Stoker did apparently love the US and set a couple of his novels there

Stoker's infamous novel, Dracula, originally entitled The Undead was published in 1897 and would eventually inspire more than 1,000 novels and 200 films.

There was some controversy surrounding Bram Stoker's eventual death in 1912 (no he didn't die on the Titanic). It is suggested in Stoker's biography by his nephew, Daniel Farson, in 1975 that Stoker may have contracted an STI... most likely, syphilis. His remains are at Golders Green where a plaque commemorates his life.

The Song of Achilles

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their differences, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grown into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

The Orange prize lost its sponsor this year but I’m pleased to say it doesn’t seem to have lost its ability to pick a good book. Winner of this year's prize, Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles (or the 'dong' of Achilles as I wrote originally... not actually altogether inappropriate...), is perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea, though. From the blurb someone might see the Trojan War, angry hairy men who believe in fantastical Greek gods and the soldierly duty of a young mythological prince rather dull. I, however, see this as an exciting historical epic (with gods and stuff) but, first and foremost, as a love story. A love story with hunky men that have sexy battle scars and togas and feathered helmets. Mildly aware that I am demeaning a classic, although sometimes controversial, story that is centuries, millennia old…

The embarrassing part is that despite floaty goddesses and angry war gods sending disease and *gasps* no wind for an army’s sails, I had somehow persuaded myself (quite easily it seems) that this was an historical novel… I was like ahh cool, love to read about what really happened with the Greeks taking on the Trojans with arrows and giant wooden horses. I think I got confused when I had to explain to myself how in the recounting of a famous event some of the characters could have been real and some… namely a pretty central half god/half human character…  must be fictional… I fear this blog may have turned into some kind of tribute to my simple mind. Perhaps someone else could chip in here, you know, say I’m actually not that stupid? I’m not. Honest.

Anyway… the novel. It’s beautifully written. Sure it has some metaphors in there that make it beautiful, but for me the real pleasure is in the way the writing flows. It’s just so easy to read. Easy almost to the point that I wondered if I’d picked up the wrong title. I’m not quite sure why I was expecting a challenge but it wasn’t so I was pleasantly surprised.

The relationship between the iconic Achilles and Patroclus is carefully built and culminates in a truly touching final scene that did make me well up. I like to blame that on the too-many glasses of Aperol Spritz that evening but I think Miller needs the credit there.

There's plenty of sex in here too if you're missing your dose of Fifty Shades...

The only blip for me was a short period in the middle. I can’t quite put my finger on what was lacking but there is a sort of transitional point in the narrative that just dragged a little bit. The concluding chapters though more than made up for it with plenty of action and 'oh what have you done' moments. For those well-acquainted with the myth, don't be put off - it's a great story and one that you can understand why, from this book, has stood the test of time. 

This book gets 7/10. I originally gave it an 8 but after some thought I wondered if perhaps I was raving about it so much because the end affected me so much. Had I been asked to rate it at half way through, maybe I'd have given it a lower rating. As a result, I've gone down the middle but I do recommend this book. Particularly if you like soldiers and mythology and good old forbidden love.

The Time Machine

When a Victorian scientist propels himself into the year 802,701 AD, he is initially delighted to find that suffering has been replaced by beauty, contentment and peace. Entranced at first by the Eloi, an elfin species descended from man, he soon realises that this beautiful people are simply remnants of a once-great culture now weak and childishly afraid of the dark. They have every reason to be afraid: in deep tunnels beneath their paradise lurks another race descended from humanity the sinister Morlocks. And when the scientist's time machine vanishes, it becomes clear he must search these tunnels, if he is ever to return to his own era.

I feel I should apologise for distinct lack of presence online last month. But, no holidays this month means plenty of posts I hope.

Last week my book club met to discuss our latest read, H G Wells’ classic The Time Machine. Normally when I turn up I don’t have much of an idea what people will think – it’s one of those unspoken rules that you do not discuss book club books unless you want one of my turn-you-to-stone frowns or raised eyebrow at the very least. Ok so probably raised eyebrows… never been able to move them independently. It’s a flaw I have come to terms with. This time though I had a little insight. One of the book club members couldn’t make it and so she sent me her views by email earlier that day – it’s a serious business. Bearing in mind this friend was the person who struggled to give Arundhati Roy’s God of Small Things anything higher than a 2, this email didn’t pull any punches: “Didn't particularly enjoy the book and was thankful it was short”.

In general, though, it wasn’t a bad sum up. When the rest of us got together and contemplated the book inbetween pistachios – thanks Phoebe – we all agreed we weren’t the book’s biggest fans. The Time Traveller was far from Eric Bana for starters, he instead came across as inward-thinking, emotionless and old-fashioned. Old-fashioned is the key, though, as while I did find his account lacking in heart I came to think that perhaps it’s all just a matter of being old.

We were all disappointed there were no relationships to get excited about and the only one that had potential, was abandoned by Wells (or, more fairly maybe by the Time Traveller himself) so that storyline fizzled. And so did she – the girl that is – another example of an old-fashioned masculine world dominating culture privileging scientific fact and achievement over emotion, experience and, really, people. This woman, Weena, could have been a child or an adult for all we knew – she had no personality of her own, no kick-ass Black Widow moves – she was just nothingy.

Saying that, I’m not about to accuse H G Wells of being a misogynist. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t, but surely the whole thing was just a product of its times and the values held back then? Saying that, I find it odd that someone with those thoughts had the capability of being so forward thinking with everything else. The basic premise was amazing, then and now. The concept I loved, and I don’t think I’m really spoiling anything plot-wise here, was the idea that a culture can become so technologically developed that it turns back on itself and becomes more primitive as a result of no longer needing to develop or do anything.

Anyway, all in all we thought it was a great book to discuss and study; we thought it was well written, I myself found it successfully creepy at times and we liked the ending. We were grateful that it was short, though, as the narrator just seemed to lack depth and we wanted more relationships…

The Book Club gave it 5/10. I gave it 6/10

Wonder if HG Wells would approve of Marty McFly...

Save the Sci Fi Campaign

It is no secret that the book industry is suffering but if you imagine that bestsellers are losing out, imagine what is happening to the less read genres like Sci Fi. Well new Brooklyn bookshop, Singularity & Co is on the case. The brand new shop opened last week at 18 Bridge Street in Brooklyn, New York, alongside an online shop that will sell eBooks. Now what exactly are they doing, I hear you ask.

Well it's brave, certainly. Second-hand bookshops are suffering, closing down all over the place but this one has a mission. Singularity & Co is aiming to bring back into print at least one cult Sci Fi novel each month and make it available on eBook via their website... for FREE.

Cici James, Jamil V. Moen and Ash Kalb, the people behind this idea and self-named "time traveling archivists", have insisted that this is not a 'for-profit' project. "It doesn’t have to make any money at all," they say, "since our day jobs cover our rent." What a revolutionary thought in the modern world that a business doesn't have to make money... and all in the name of books and getting people reading? Brilliant.

It's not just the founders that are involved, however. They are asking you, the readers, to vote on which book will get saved each month.

The project has already raised over $52,000 - over three times more money than they originally aimed for.

If you want to show your support, vote, visit the shop or simply get reading, visit their website: http://singularityand.co/index.php

If you're a Londoner like me, why not follow SF Gateway? SF Gateway is part of the Orion Publishing Group, which is home to the UK's oldest Science Fiction publisher, Gollancz. The aim is to make sure that this genre does not drift out into space (forgive me) and get lost forever.

You can visit their website here: http://sfgateway.com

Catching Fire

Katniss survived the Hunger Games. Now the Capitol wants revenge. It's payback time, and her chance of survival is even slimmer than ever... After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta have returned to District 12, hoping for a peaceful future. But their victory has caused rebellion to break out - and the Capitol has decided that someone must pay. As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the other districts on the Capitol's Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless they can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying. Then comes the cruellest twist: the contestants for the next Hunger Games are announced, and Katniss and Peeta are forced into the arena once more... 

August has been a bad month for blogging so far but you will just have to forgive me! I read an article today about how the Hunger Games trilogy has suddenly made archery cool. I've got to say, though, that it's a little disappointing watching the Olympics archery events without fun robin hood outfits... Turns out there are no feathers involved...

Anyway, this last week I have whizzed through a different Games altogether: the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire. Following in the path of the Twilight and Harry Potter series, the Hunger Games seem to have drawn in people of all ages with adults trying to hide the eye-catching covers on the train or cheating altogether by reading on Kindle.
 
While I can't help cringe at some of the writing, once again I've got to ignore it. It is, after all, first and foremost, a book for children. Once again Katniss is taking on the Capitol and gets herself into a few more scrapes. If you liked the twists and turns of the first in the series, Catching Fire doesn't disappoint. The twists in this one are, in my view, slightly more sophisticated. The 'clock', for instance, was pretty awesome.

This book is fast-paced, provides plenty of action and there is again a hint of romance running throughout. Nothing like a few smooches to get a plot going.

I would say my only disappointment really was the fact that they go back into the Games again. The blurb tells you before you even open the book, though, so I can't say I wasn't warned.

I don't warm to Katniss - she certainly has flaws - but who wants a protagonist who's perfect? Harry Potter certainly wasn't, nor Bella Swan. All I ask is that some time she stops trying to act like she is the mother figure, where all responsibilities are hers. Sometimes it would be nice to see her being a little reckless because she's a kid and she has different drives than an adult who might have a job or children to feed etc. That said, she does have the whole world on her shoulders in this one... not helped by the Capitol, Haymitch or the Districts...

Anyway, if you liked the first one, you'll get on well with this. I really liked it. In fact, probably a little more than the first one which was a surprise. It's a guilty pleasure that everyone should be able to enjoy.

7/10

See my review for Hunger Games here.