Something Random - Unicorns and White Meat

Some people are so ridiculous. It's a joke. Unicorns don't exist and if by some miracle they did, I don't think anyone would eat one. Check out the link below.

Stargazing blog by Malene Arpe

Android Karenina

I’m not sure where to begin with Leo Tolstoy and Ben H. Winters’ Android Karenina. Forty pages from the end, there was a big twist and I thought I knew what I was going to say, where the rest of the story was going and how it would all end. That twist was just the beginning. I don’t want to give away the ending. The whole story comes together, unravels and come together again in these final pages. I want to say so much, but it wouldn’t be fair to everyone who hasn’t read it.

I do think everyone should read it. Unlike its Quick Classics predecessors, I haven’t read Anna Karenina. I decided that this time I would follow my own advice. I read first, to see if it would spark my interest in reading the Tolstoy original. It definitely has; it’s on my bookshelf waiting. I enjoyed Android Karenina. I think Winters did a great job of melding the past with robots, aliens and mad scientists. The story has a “what if” feel. “What if” this Miracle Metal, groznium was discovered? Is this what Russia in the 19th century would have been like? It takes the Industrial Revolution to a whole new level.

I also think Winters is an Isaac Asimov fan. Early on in the story, the characters talk about the “Iron Laws” which govern the behaviour of robots. Princess Betsy even puts them to a horrible test (in this scene you can see Anna leaning more towards robots than humans). About halfway through the novel, the characters finally bring up “Osimov”, a machine theorist, whose ideas brought about the Iron Laws. I found myself thinking of I, Robot occasionally.

For me, it’s Levin who is the hero. He begins as a shy man, turned down by the woman he loves. He grows, marries that woman and turns into a leader. His ideas and strength are a force upon this story. I know Anna and Vronsky are supposed to be the couple at the centre of everything, but Levin and Kitty steal their spotlight. Anna is a tool and Vronsky is selfish. Levin is the man, who in the end has everything, Vronsky has nothing. If you look closely, it’s even Levin who has Android Karenina. Not Vronsky, not even really Anna. I come out of the novel really disliking Vronsky, though I wonder, what is wrong with his tooth? If you like Russian literature or robots or both, you should pick up Android Karenina and find out what happens to these four characters.

Check out Android Karenina at Quirk Classics.  They have a sample chapter up.  Comment on the chapter, blog posts and let them know you read about the book here.

The Great Wednesday Compare #5- George Eliot Versus Robertson Davies

I'm having a difficult time deciding.  Who do you like better, George Eliot or Roberston Davies?

http://bookmineset.blogspot.com/2010/06/great-wednesday-compare-5-george-eliot.html

Empty Joys

I decided to dive back into the world of fantasy through my short story this week. Empty Joys is by one of my favourite fantasy writers, R. A. Salvatore. As you may have previously read on my blog, Salvatore has created one of the most famous characters in Forgotten Realms and potentially in the fantasy genre. Empty Joys, however, is not about Drizzt, though I miss him and hope to see him soon.

Empty Joys is the last story in the Forgotten Realms collection The Best Of The Realms: Book 1. It tells the story of one small adventure had by two former enemies of Drizzt Do’Urden, Jarlaxle and Artemis Entreri. Jarlaxle and Entreri are on the road, though they have no destination. Once villains, the reader finds the pair saving innocents from a band of merciless highwaymen.

The story is a stopover or a peek, into the happenings betweens books. It’s a quick punch of adventure, fast-paced and exciting. In its thirty pages, the story gives the reader insight into the main characters. It functions as a short story more than I thought it would. It still felt like part of a larger story, especially with Jarlaxle secretly meeting with his Underdark lieutenant. Empty Joys [thankfully] doesn’t read as a misplaced chapter of a novel, it makes you eager for more of the Forgotten Realms and these characters.


Thanks to John at The Book Mine Set for hosting Short Story Monday.

Robert Munsch's Admission

I just reviewed The Paper Bag Princess.  This doesn't change my opinion on it or any of this other books.  He's still a great writer.  I wonder why he came out with this now.  It's not like there was some scandel.  Was it because of his stroke?  Did he want to clear the air?  Is he trying to set an example?  It's okay to admit your mistakes?  I think he could have continued to go on with his career and no one would have ever known.

A NOTE TO PARENTS – The Official Website of Robert Munsch

The Paper Bag Princess

Since I had my daughter, it seems that I’m slowly re-reading stories I read as a child. The result wasn’t favourable in one instance. Since then, it has made me a bit weary. There’s no reason to be with The Paper Bag Princess. I loved it as a child. As an adult, whenever it came up, it still gave me a good feeling, though I couldn’t remember exactly what it was about.

Well, let me tell you… It is about a girl, Princess Elizabeth, who is brave, resourceful and intelligent. Robert Munsch did an incredible job in creating a princess who is not a “damsel in distress”. When Princess Elizabeth’s belongings are destroyed and her fiancé kidnapped, she finds something (a paper bag) to wear and goes to rescue him. She doesn’t fight the dragon with a sword and kill him. She uses her mind and tricks the dragon. She rescues the prince, but all he seems to care about is how she looks; he’s not even grateful for being rescued. Well, the princess decides he’s a bum (or a toad if you’re in England) and doesn’t marry him.

I think Robert Munsch sets a great example for young girls. The girl can be the hero. You don’t have to use violence to defeat the bad guy. Just because a guy is good looking, you might think he’s a prince, but he could actually be a terrible person and you don’t really want anything to do with him. These are messages which are often lost on young girls.

I hope I’m not gushing. I love this book. I have nothing bad to say. The story is wonderful. The illustrations are great. They’re signature; they let us recognize The Paper Bag Princess without words. Every parent should read this to their children, sons and daughters alike.

*A note on the edition:

I bought a couple copies of The Paper Bag Princess for the loot bags for my daughter’s first birthday party. The Paper Bag Princess along with a few other of Robert Munsch’s books are available in mini-editions (3.5x3.5 inches) from Chapters.Indigo for about $1.99. You can’t seem to order them online, but trust me, there are a bunch in the stores. You can order a few online at Amazon (for $1.99), but not The Paper Bag Princess, sadly. I just think they’re great for travel, so you always have a cute little story for your cute little baby.

DRM, e-books, and Fictionwise

Inkygirl is having a problem with Fictionwise's ebooks. They're a Barnes and Noble company. It's been going on for a month. When are they going to fix her problem? It makes me not want to buy ebooks.

DRM, e-books, and Fictionwise/B&N Removing Access To Books *I Have Already Paid For* Inkygirl: Daily Diversions For Writers

The Beggarwoman Of Locarno, by Heinrich von Kleist

The Beggarwoman of Locarno is a short story by Heinrich von Kleist. Kleist is more famously known for his stories Michael Kohlhaas and The Marquise of O–.  He was a German Romantic, first making a name for himself with his plays; he was also a poet and novelist.


The Beggarwoman of Locarno is surprisingly, a ghost story. I didn’t know it would be. It was a great little story about the punishment suffered if you don’t show charity to the poor. It was an easy read, which I did expect, having read The Marquise of O—. As I mentioned in a previous post, I don’t know if the likability of the writing style comes from the author or the translator. What I do know is that I enjoyed the story immensely. I hope, with this story, Kleist was able to teach a few rich men how to be nicer to the poor.

A copy of the text can be found here.

The post was written in conjunction with Short Story Monday hosted at The Book Mine Set.

Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2 was fantastic. My husband read in the Toronto Star that it only received 2.5/5 stars. So when we went to see it last night, I didn’t have very high expectations. Today, I check Rotten Tomatoes which has it “Certified Fresh” with 74%. That’s more like it.

If you like action movies with an underlying current of comedy, you’ll love Iron Man 2. It’s full of fantastic explosions and armoured fights. It’s also full of comedic exchanges between Robert Downey Jr. and his co-stars. The movie touches on Tony Stark’s self-indulgent, self-destructive tendencies, which I thought added a bit of realism to the movie. He drinks too much as is narcissistic and he thinks he can single-handedly save the world. The movie was funny and exciting. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I could go on about what I loved, but really, just go see it.

One more thing, there’s an extra scene after the credits. I think it’s a bit of marketing for the filmmakers, but it’s still interesting.

The Book Mine Set: The Great Wednesday Compare #5- George Eliot VERSUS Joseph Conrad

Vote for your favourite!

The Book Mine Set: The Great Wednesday Compare #5- George Eliot VERSUS Joseph Conrad

Check out: "Android Karenina Review Copies - Calling All Bloggers! | Quirk"

To any bloggers who also review books: Quirk is giving away free copies of Android Karenina.

Android Karenina Review Copies - Calling All Bloggers! Quirk

Confessions Of A Jane Austen Addict

By the second sentence of Laurie Viera Rigler’s Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, I was hooked. Rigler’s main character is Courtney Stone, a twenty-first century, working, independent, thirty-year-old woman, who is obsessed with Jane Austen. Courtney’s mind is somehow transported into the body of a woman named Jane Mansfield. Jane lives in the nineteenth century, in a year when only Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice have been published. These two novels become Courtney’s only connection to her former life as she is forced to live Jane’s life.


Rigler’s writing was inviting, a smooth combination of contemporary writing style and “Regency” language. One of the first things that struck me and was maintained throughout the novel, is the realistic portrayal of life in the 19th century. The first problem Courtney is faced with is having to pee, which, as far as I can remember, is never addressed in any book or film about that time. There’s the lack of hygiene (Courtney has to insist on bathing twice a week), farting in church and a woman’s “monthly courses” which means she is “indisposed” until it is over. Courtney even comments on how the era is romanticized. She is frustrated by how little freedom women have and how a woman of thirty is practically over the hill. I suppose I would be too if I found myself in that era. Courtney’s observances only add to the plot of the story.


Just like in an Austen novel, nothing is what it seems in Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict. There are misunderstandings. Hidden meanings. There are circumstances that Courtney laughs at, though if it were Lizzy Bennet, she might be disgusted. There are terrible people who pretend to be friends. There are marriages of convenience, while there is also the search for love. Laurie Viera Rigler’s first novel has left me happy; wanting to know more, yet satisfied with the ending.

Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell

I’ve just finished Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke.  It is 782 pages of dense, DENSE, DENSE writing and I think I am unsatisfied by the ending. My brain may explode. I kept expecting the ending to be more… romantic? Strange does all this work to free his wife, but doesn’t go to her immediately. Part of him seems to want them to be together, but another part rather be with Norrell.

[This might be an irrelevant question, but why don’t the Stranges have any children? They were married for many years, around ten, I think (though Mr. Strange spent three years in the war). What kind of birth control did they have back then? Just something I find curious.]

I liked the rest of the ending. All the important characters are dealt with. I think most get what they deserve. I felt pity appropriately and was quite happy with the outcome of some of the characters, like Childermass and Stephen Black. I do wonder what happened to Lady Pole though.

The pacing of the novel made it a bit difficult to get through. I found the beginning section that just focused on Norrell immensely slow. Once Strange was introduced however, it moved quickly. Once Strange got back from the war, I was having a difficult time again. Then, the final section, with the disappearance of Mrs. Strange, it was back to quick and exciting. I think I would have liked the story better, if it were either shorter or maintained the same quick pace throughout. I think part of what made it at times difficult is the “regency” style language it was written in, as if the author was a contemporary of Jane Austen or Charles Dickens.

In the end, I mostly enjoyed the novel. Would I recommend it? Absolutely, but I think you have to be a fan of two things. The first would be Austen or Dickens (or their contemporaries), because this isn’t the language of the twentieth or twenty-first centuries. The second, you have to enjoy a little fantasy. There are magic and fairies and people brought back from the dead. This isn’t Dungeons and Dragons fantasy, but the fantasy of a “lady” or “gentleman”.

why is he ...

At first, I thought this was a joke. But it's not. I tested it. It's so sad.

The original post can be found here:  Stargazing blog by Malene Arpe

...BUT if you type in "why is she" you get similar sad results.

The Giants In The Parkade

Does Franz Hohler’s The Giants In The Parkade count as a short story? It’s only six sentences! It was translated from the German by Jeff Kochan for the Winter 2009 issue of PRISM international. This is one time where I am sure the translation is accurate and couldn’t really affect the feeling of the story. I re-read the story a couple times (it being so short, it really wasn’t inconvenient.) Hohler packed a lot into six seemingly simple sentences. The giants had purpose and resolution. The reader could actually get a sense of who the giants were.

In the same issue of PRISM, there is another story of Hohler’s, The Creation. This story is a whopping eleven sentences. Somehow it felt more like a story than Giants In The Parkade. These two extremely short short stories got me to thinking, with stories this short, how many does he have to write to publish a collection? Or do they get mixed in with his novels and poetry? I wish that Wikipedia had more to say about him. His website is entirely in German, so I can’t find easy answers to these questions.

[This post was written in conjunction with Short Story Monday hosted by The Book Mine Set]

"Shakespeare may be dead, but he's still smarter than you"

From the Stargazing blog by Malene Arpe. Apparently, according to statistical analysis, Shakespeare knew six-times as many words as the average person. This is sure to make the Shakespeare lovers happy.

MOST AWESOMEST THING EVER

So, the MOST AWESOMEST THING EVER is a website that is searching for The Most Awesomest Thing. Ever. It's pretty funny. When you vote, the choices can be really odd. Sometimes both choices are terrible, but you still have to vote. It's a great tool for procrastinating.

The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home

Yesterday I finished The Long Road Home the second graphic novel added to Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. Even though the series of novels I complete (supposedly complete, I read that King has an idea for an eighth book) there are still stories to be told, question that want answers. The first graphic novel, The Gunslinger Born is a condensed version of part of the novel, Wizard and Glass. The Long Road Home continues that story. King’s novels don’t tell the reader how Roland got from Hambry back home to Gilead. There is much of Roland’s life left to tell.


With King as a creative editor, Robin Furth, Peter David, Jae Lee and Richard Isanove hope to give fans stories worth reading. The Long Road Home certainly was. I couldn’t put it down. I was excited to see the glimpse into Roland’s future and the revelations given by the Crimson King. This installment is full of energy, breathing new life into a series though to be over.

Telephone, by John Fuller

Telephone is a funny little story by English writer John Fuller. Fuller is Fellow Emeritus at Magdalen College, Oxford, which I had to look up. Emeritus means he’s retired. He writes primarily poetry, but also short stories and novels. After reading Telephone it makes me interested in reading more of his work. What I found most interesting about him was that he started a small press, the Sycamore Press, which he ran out of his garage. It was in operation from 1968 to 1992. He helped establish authors like W.H. Auden.

In Telephone, the unnamed narrator has made himself at home in a friend’s apartment. He is sitting on the sofa drinking a substantial vodka tonic. His friend Dickie, is away, so the narrator is alone. He is left to his own imagination. You get the feeling that more than his day was boring. The narrator seems to need more fun in his whole life. John Fuller gets a lot into just two pages; you get a sense of the character as a whole. I enjoyed every bit of this very short work.

Inglourious Basterds

Is Inglourious Basterds what would have happened if Quentin Tarintino was in charge of ending World War II? I finally got around to seeing Tarantino’s film this weekend. (It seems like I’m finally getting to see a lot of movies that came out just after my daughter was born.) Inglourious Basterds is a film I really enjoyed. I had fun watching it, though I fell like it’s one of those movies I’d have a difficult time sitting through again knowing what happens. It’s not that there is anything too upsetting or graphic. It’s more about knowing the result of the scene. Having seen it already, the mystery and anticipation is gone.

Brad Pitt was amazing. Lt. Raine was so different from other roles he has played. The entire cast was amazing. I loved Shoshanna. I really appreciated that we get to see past Private Zoller’s handsome front before the end. I did not expect to see Mike Myers either. It was a great surprise. Christoph Waltz tied the whole movie together. Tarantino’s style is all over his film, so you should appreciate his work, but this isn’t just for his fans, it’s for everyone who likes a good story.