You may be interested to know that out of everyone who has visited my blog... zero hits have been from the southern hemisphere.
Probably something to do with the water there.
Have a good few days, everyone.
Monday, 29 August 2011
Friday, 26 August 2011
Ghost Story by Jim Butcher - A review
Ghost Story is the thirteenth novel in The Dresden Files, and is written by American author Jim Butcher.
The previous book, Changes, was the catalyst for the series to become something else entirely to what it began life as. It was insane, a little, towards the end. Dresden was almost transformed into something we, as readers, were unsure of... shocked at this direction the novel was taking. Afraid that the character we veterans of the series know and love.
I’ve seen some people’s reactions to the book, and then the response from other readers who were telling them that the narrator does not equal the author. Because there was obviously something about the book which made them so upset.
It was probably the cold-blooded murder of Dresden’s once-lover, mother of his child, the love of his life. That kind of thing can shake people a little bit. Dresden took the time to rationalise his decision, give himself a way out of being a murderer. After all, it took care of the huge problem they’d been dealing with for years on end. What some didn’t realise was that the author can write about something and present it in a way in which they don’t necessarily agree. I’m damn sure Mr Butcher doesn’t stand around advocating the use of murder to get what you want.
Now, enter Ghost Story. In this novel we see the culminating effects of this earth-shattering event, the results of leaving people behind without protection, the outcome of a war ended with a single curse, the direction some characters have been forced to go because of this vacuum left in Dresden’s wake.
It has almost destroyed them. These people, who were once good, unspoiled, unsullied by the darkness that populates the Dresden universe, have been turned and thrust into a world where the weak are assimilated into the ever-growing shadow streaking across the world. They have to be strong; they have to throw a facade into everyone’s face. Show them that they aren’t weak; they can’t be shoved around and told what to do. Otherwise, they’ll fall by the way side, and never get up again. The Dresden world has taken another turn towards “damned”, and Dresden can’t sit by and watch as the people he loves go down with it.
Dresden is in a unique position to see these events occur, and he’s powerless to stop them. His character was put through so much turmoil in the last book, and he can see now what that did to him and his judgement. He realises that his decisions weren’t made in the best frame of mind, but were still inherently wrong.
Throughout most of the novel, the initial premise stands loud and clear: Dresden is finding out who his killer is, so that he can rest in peace. Go through to the Beyond. He’s also tasked with protecting three of his friends who will be hurt if he doesn’t. The twist comes when he remembers his killer. When he remembers what happened to him. The knife is plunged in deeper when we realise that Harry’s apprentice, Molly, is so much more vulnerable than she lets on – and his Faerie godmother has taken on her training, and particularly not in ways Harry is comfortable with.
Harry connects with Molly like never before. It’s brutal, but honest. This novel sheds light on so many things from the last book. Characters have changed throughout this series; there is no doubt of that. Some changed in ways that might be non-refundable when they get to the checkout. They’ve paid the boatman, and they’re on the way to the other side of that river dividing “good” from “bad”, and there is no turning back; they are stuck in a fast flowing current of events; spiralling ever downwards, ever onwards. They will not like what is on the other side.
Threads which began in other novels, I know I forgot about them and probably many others did too, were picked up and thrown into the mix. Not to mention how the book ends. These threads go almost all of the way back to the beginning.
Butcher has, once again, done an amazing job. He has provided us with a story gripping from beginning to end – action, humour, magic and awesome-packed for good measure. If you’re not a fan yet, why the hell not? Pick up a book, read it, and join with us – the legion of fans Butcher has at his command. Be sucked into the vortex of his creation as fully as I, and revel in the joys of the characters, the sorrows, the revelations and the obscurities. Be prepared for a heart-stopping, heart-warming and heart-wrenching story of love, hate, betrayal and titanic struggle against enemies that seem almost impossible to overcome.
It’s one hell of a ride, and I promise you’ll never look back.
The previous book, Changes, was the catalyst for the series to become something else entirely to what it began life as. It was insane, a little, towards the end. Dresden was almost transformed into something we, as readers, were unsure of... shocked at this direction the novel was taking. Afraid that the character we veterans of the series know and love.
I’ve seen some people’s reactions to the book, and then the response from other readers who were telling them that the narrator does not equal the author. Because there was obviously something about the book which made them so upset.
It was probably the cold-blooded murder of Dresden’s once-lover, mother of his child, the love of his life. That kind of thing can shake people a little bit. Dresden took the time to rationalise his decision, give himself a way out of being a murderer. After all, it took care of the huge problem they’d been dealing with for years on end. What some didn’t realise was that the author can write about something and present it in a way in which they don’t necessarily agree. I’m damn sure Mr Butcher doesn’t stand around advocating the use of murder to get what you want.
Now, enter Ghost Story. In this novel we see the culminating effects of this earth-shattering event, the results of leaving people behind without protection, the outcome of a war ended with a single curse, the direction some characters have been forced to go because of this vacuum left in Dresden’s wake.
It has almost destroyed them. These people, who were once good, unspoiled, unsullied by the darkness that populates the Dresden universe, have been turned and thrust into a world where the weak are assimilated into the ever-growing shadow streaking across the world. They have to be strong; they have to throw a facade into everyone’s face. Show them that they aren’t weak; they can’t be shoved around and told what to do. Otherwise, they’ll fall by the way side, and never get up again. The Dresden world has taken another turn towards “damned”, and Dresden can’t sit by and watch as the people he loves go down with it.
Dresden is in a unique position to see these events occur, and he’s powerless to stop them. His character was put through so much turmoil in the last book, and he can see now what that did to him and his judgement. He realises that his decisions weren’t made in the best frame of mind, but were still inherently wrong.
Throughout most of the novel, the initial premise stands loud and clear: Dresden is finding out who his killer is, so that he can rest in peace. Go through to the Beyond. He’s also tasked with protecting three of his friends who will be hurt if he doesn’t. The twist comes when he remembers his killer. When he remembers what happened to him. The knife is plunged in deeper when we realise that Harry’s apprentice, Molly, is so much more vulnerable than she lets on – and his Faerie godmother has taken on her training, and particularly not in ways Harry is comfortable with.
Harry connects with Molly like never before. It’s brutal, but honest. This novel sheds light on so many things from the last book. Characters have changed throughout this series; there is no doubt of that. Some changed in ways that might be non-refundable when they get to the checkout. They’ve paid the boatman, and they’re on the way to the other side of that river dividing “good” from “bad”, and there is no turning back; they are stuck in a fast flowing current of events; spiralling ever downwards, ever onwards. They will not like what is on the other side.
Threads which began in other novels, I know I forgot about them and probably many others did too, were picked up and thrown into the mix. Not to mention how the book ends. These threads go almost all of the way back to the beginning.
Butcher has, once again, done an amazing job. He has provided us with a story gripping from beginning to end – action, humour, magic and awesome-packed for good measure. If you’re not a fan yet, why the hell not? Pick up a book, read it, and join with us – the legion of fans Butcher has at his command. Be sucked into the vortex of his creation as fully as I, and revel in the joys of the characters, the sorrows, the revelations and the obscurities. Be prepared for a heart-stopping, heart-warming and heart-wrenching story of love, hate, betrayal and titanic struggle against enemies that seem almost impossible to overcome.
It’s one hell of a ride, and I promise you’ll never look back.
Results day...
Oh, I didn't post about my AS results. We got them last week, was it last week? Yes, it was... Time melds into a single unit when you do not have school or college to go to. Stupid mind.
Anyways, so... I had four exams, or five if you count Philosophy and Ethics as two, which they really are.
English Literature, English Language, Media Studies, Philosophy and Ethics.
I got two As, a B and an E.
The E was an overall grade for Phil & Ethics, which was a D and E respectively, brought to an overall E.
An A in both Language and Media Studies, and a B for Literature.
Hey, if you've read the other posts from back when... you'll have seen the one where I went into the Literature exam a little bit. I also said that I wasn't sure how well I'd done, but that I did okay. Which I did. Grade Bs are respectable, and nice. Hopefully it can be upped to a low A, which is still an A, next year. Or, stay at B, I don't mind. It is a high B, and if I am lucky next year, I'll get some decent grades and bump it up.
Language and Media were nice exams, in the end. My media coursework was strong, and it has been entered into a regional... competition, if you would call the Catholic colleges in the region coming together to give awards to the best products in their categories a competition. It probably waived the right to be called that when they didn't mention at the very beginning that this would happen at the end of the year though. Sneaked that one onto us, didn't they?
Still... Should be fun.
Anyways, so... I had four exams, or five if you count Philosophy and Ethics as two, which they really are.
English Literature, English Language, Media Studies, Philosophy and Ethics.
I got two As, a B and an E.
The E was an overall grade for Phil & Ethics, which was a D and E respectively, brought to an overall E.
An A in both Language and Media Studies, and a B for Literature.
Hey, if you've read the other posts from back when... you'll have seen the one where I went into the Literature exam a little bit. I also said that I wasn't sure how well I'd done, but that I did okay. Which I did. Grade Bs are respectable, and nice. Hopefully it can be upped to a low A, which is still an A, next year. Or, stay at B, I don't mind. It is a high B, and if I am lucky next year, I'll get some decent grades and bump it up.
Language and Media were nice exams, in the end. My media coursework was strong, and it has been entered into a regional... competition, if you would call the Catholic colleges in the region coming together to give awards to the best products in their categories a competition. It probably waived the right to be called that when they didn't mention at the very beginning that this would happen at the end of the year though. Sneaked that one onto us, didn't they?
Still... Should be fun.
What was intended to be a discussion on rationalising, turned into a rant about covers...
Okay, so there's a disparity between the covers for the first twelve books of the Dresden Files on my shelf, and that of the thirteenth, Ghost Story.
This annoys the little OCD Meanderer stuck inside my head. Greatly.
Hell, if we're talking about annoying little changes... even the fact that Changes is a hardcover, when the rest are small paperbacks really, really irks me.
However, as you all know, the name of that novel is Changes. It would be resoundingly stupid of me to say that the people who make the decisions on covers made a huge mistake by changing it.
Except... well, then again the cover for Changes is kind of following the whole scheme of "case file" covers like the previous books. But then you look at Ghost Story.
It's despicable.
I've posted the cover before as a part of the "it's coming!" overjoyment post. But here it is again.
This change in style is disappointing. It's very reminiscent of usual American covers... and by the way, this is the US cover, but the one over here is exactly the same, with a different font for Jim's name and the title... and they're both at the bottom and Jim's name is red. Okay, okay... so it's not exactly the same. But, it might as well be.
US book covers are not the type of thing I like on my books. I think that the UK covers are much nicer. Sure, there isn't usually as much going on as an American cover, but I like it that way dammit!
Oh, hey, I found the UK cover:
Well, look at that! I didn't see it last time. Right, so, as you see... not a huge difference. The image is closer, and the font is both red and blockier. Also, the colour is different. Which makes me sound like I know nothing about it... but the image has a cyan overlay for some reason. Perhaps it's to oppose the red "JIM BUTCHER" more?
But, then again... wait, I see. I see the reason. Okay, look at the covers again. You can see that in the US cover, the plant is green, the gravestones black/grey/white and Dresden is wearing a black duster and has a wooden staff and has skin... but does he? Nope. In this book, Harry is a ghost. As readers of the previous book will know, and people who can see into meanings behind titles even just a little bit.
Now, look at the UK cover. The blue tint to the image can be seen as an attempt to show the scene in an "otherworldly" light. Literally, they are trying to show that Harry is now a ghost by using a colour that we have all seen ghosts appear in... on TV and in films. You know the thing I mean, where the character appears and is transparent and has a highly cyan colour scheme going on?
Well, the colour change is cracked. Now, just to figure out why they changed the series' style half the bloody-well way through?
Anyways... have a gander at the cover difference between an earlier book's US and UK editions.
Alrighty then. So, I never realised that the Ghost Story cover is basically just the US scheme... and by the way, I have no idea if the Storm Front cover I have is the first edition, or whatever. But, you can see by the UK cover that it's vastly different. And, in my opinion, much better.
The simple style, a single tag line that could be used as a slogan, minimal use of colour, strategic placement of the blood splatter (there's a different addition to each cover, usually relating to the story), and a signature-style font for Jim's name... all makes for a simply interesting book cover. You can do a similar kind of thing for the Codex Alera books by Jim too, the US covers have guys dressed in Roman Legion armour doing some scene from the book... Whereas the UK covers have a symbol for whichever element is being used for that book (there are six elements in the magic system, fire, water, air, earth, wood and metal - coincidently, there are six books), and there's a small image across the top... but the majority of the cover is black, with coloured writing related to the element. Very nice.
OH, and pet peeve number one thousand... DO NOT use images on the front covers of books when they have not FULLY complied with the image of the character as portrayed by the creator. In this case, Jim Butcher created Harry Dresden and Harry does NOT wear a cowboy hat. However, the marketing guys know that he looks "cooler" to the masses that way, so they give him one on the covers.
In Ghost Story, Jim even mentions the hat thing... and both he and Harry reject it, again!
Argh.
I hate how they impose these character images onto us. Especially as the artist isn't Jim Butcher. Some authors don't even like giving concrete images of characters, because they know that some readers prefer their own creations in their own minds. Obviously, you need traits and some tags for characters, but that's more of a writer's job than reader's... and I'm getting well away from my point.
Ghost Story changed the scheme. I do not like this. But, the book is amazing. I'll write the review now and either put it up today or tomorrow after a little edit.
Sorry for the rant-like post... but, we all have things we don't like. This is one of those things for me. I'm sure other people don't like it too. I'm sure there are some American readers who hate British covers, cause they aren't eye catching enough. But, I don't think the whole "OH PICK ME!" type of covers are good for the book. In general. But, that's another topic, for another day.
Read well, folks.
This annoys the little OCD Meanderer stuck inside my head. Greatly.
Hell, if we're talking about annoying little changes... even the fact that Changes is a hardcover, when the rest are small paperbacks really, really irks me.
However, as you all know, the name of that novel is Changes. It would be resoundingly stupid of me to say that the people who make the decisions on covers made a huge mistake by changing it.
Except... well, then again the cover for Changes is kind of following the whole scheme of "case file" covers like the previous books. But then you look at Ghost Story.
It's despicable.
I've posted the cover before as a part of the "it's coming!" overjoyment post. But here it is again.
This change in style is disappointing. It's very reminiscent of usual American covers... and by the way, this is the US cover, but the one over here is exactly the same, with a different font for Jim's name and the title... and they're both at the bottom and Jim's name is red. Okay, okay... so it's not exactly the same. But, it might as well be.
US book covers are not the type of thing I like on my books. I think that the UK covers are much nicer. Sure, there isn't usually as much going on as an American cover, but I like it that way dammit!
Oh, hey, I found the UK cover:
Well, look at that! I didn't see it last time. Right, so, as you see... not a huge difference. The image is closer, and the font is both red and blockier. Also, the colour is different. Which makes me sound like I know nothing about it... but the image has a cyan overlay for some reason. Perhaps it's to oppose the red "JIM BUTCHER" more?
But, then again... wait, I see. I see the reason. Okay, look at the covers again. You can see that in the US cover, the plant is green, the gravestones black/grey/white and Dresden is wearing a black duster and has a wooden staff and has skin... but does he? Nope. In this book, Harry is a ghost. As readers of the previous book will know, and people who can see into meanings behind titles even just a little bit.
Now, look at the UK cover. The blue tint to the image can be seen as an attempt to show the scene in an "otherworldly" light. Literally, they are trying to show that Harry is now a ghost by using a colour that we have all seen ghosts appear in... on TV and in films. You know the thing I mean, where the character appears and is transparent and has a highly cyan colour scheme going on?
Well, the colour change is cracked. Now, just to figure out why they changed the series' style half the bloody-well way through?
Anyways... have a gander at the cover difference between an earlier book's US and UK editions.
The UK one, above, and the US, below.
Alrighty then. So, I never realised that the Ghost Story cover is basically just the US scheme... and by the way, I have no idea if the Storm Front cover I have is the first edition, or whatever. But, you can see by the UK cover that it's vastly different. And, in my opinion, much better.
The simple style, a single tag line that could be used as a slogan, minimal use of colour, strategic placement of the blood splatter (there's a different addition to each cover, usually relating to the story), and a signature-style font for Jim's name... all makes for a simply interesting book cover. You can do a similar kind of thing for the Codex Alera books by Jim too, the US covers have guys dressed in Roman Legion armour doing some scene from the book... Whereas the UK covers have a symbol for whichever element is being used for that book (there are six elements in the magic system, fire, water, air, earth, wood and metal - coincidently, there are six books), and there's a small image across the top... but the majority of the cover is black, with coloured writing related to the element. Very nice.
OH, and pet peeve number one thousand... DO NOT use images on the front covers of books when they have not FULLY complied with the image of the character as portrayed by the creator. In this case, Jim Butcher created Harry Dresden and Harry does NOT wear a cowboy hat. However, the marketing guys know that he looks "cooler" to the masses that way, so they give him one on the covers.
In Ghost Story, Jim even mentions the hat thing... and both he and Harry reject it, again!
Argh.
I hate how they impose these character images onto us. Especially as the artist isn't Jim Butcher. Some authors don't even like giving concrete images of characters, because they know that some readers prefer their own creations in their own minds. Obviously, you need traits and some tags for characters, but that's more of a writer's job than reader's... and I'm getting well away from my point.
Ghost Story changed the scheme. I do not like this. But, the book is amazing. I'll write the review now and either put it up today or tomorrow after a little edit.
Sorry for the rant-like post... but, we all have things we don't like. This is one of those things for me. I'm sure other people don't like it too. I'm sure there are some American readers who hate British covers, cause they aren't eye catching enough. But, I don't think the whole "OH PICK ME!" type of covers are good for the book. In general. But, that's another topic, for another day.
Read well, folks.
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Wordle - The Themes from my current WIP...
If you're interested, take a look at the Wordle I created the other day. It's made from the poem lines which feature at the beginning of my current WIPs chapters. I think it captures the themes of the novel quite sufficiently. I like it.
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Mr. Butcher has outdone himself, yet again...
Ghost Story was as excellent as I knew it would be, and now I need to wait for another year to read the next instalment. Maybe I should read slower?
I shall write a review and post it here.
I shall also have to review more books, so that it doesn't look like Butcher is the only author I read.
I shall write a review and post it here.
I shall also have to review more books, so that it doesn't look like Butcher is the only author I read.
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
I am almost there, but I don't think I want to be...
So, I'm currently on page 407 of Ghost Story... there's barely 50 pages or so to go until the end, and I have a feeling that I won't enjoy being there. You know, at the end of another book... waiting for the next one. Waiting a year. A whole year.
I can't do it.
So instead, I'll have to busy myself with things that will take up a lot of time. English Literature and Language investigations anyone?
I am adamant that I will choose fiction as the basis of my language investigation, and I hope to God that I can manage a topic around science-fiction, or possibly fantasy. Mainly because my Literature teacher will be taking half of my Language lessons next year, as she teaches the higher level course, and she hates science-fiction. In fact, she even admitted as such to us, but there have been a few incidents where she's seen that possibly science-fiction isn't as bad as she's mistaken it for.
That opportunity comes in the form of dystopian fiction and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. And boy, is she going to get a shock when I hand in my Literature coursework and I've used a novel by very famous science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick! Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said, is set in a dystopian setting... which will allow me to compare it to The Handmaid's Tale.
Ah, I seem to have gone on a tangent... oh, well, never mind.
I do not want to finish Ghost Story, yet.
But I must know what happens!
I'm going to scurry away and read now.
Hopefully I'll get a decent review posted on here soon.
No. I will post an awesome review.
I can't do it.
So instead, I'll have to busy myself with things that will take up a lot of time. English Literature and Language investigations anyone?
|
| Huh, the US and UK covers are almost identical this time around... Strange. |
I am adamant that I will choose fiction as the basis of my language investigation, and I hope to God that I can manage a topic around science-fiction, or possibly fantasy. Mainly because my Literature teacher will be taking half of my Language lessons next year, as she teaches the higher level course, and she hates science-fiction. In fact, she even admitted as such to us, but there have been a few incidents where she's seen that possibly science-fiction isn't as bad as she's mistaken it for.
That opportunity comes in the form of dystopian fiction and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. And boy, is she going to get a shock when I hand in my Literature coursework and I've used a novel by very famous science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick! Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said, is set in a dystopian setting... which will allow me to compare it to The Handmaid's Tale.
Ah, I seem to have gone on a tangent... oh, well, never mind.
I do not want to finish Ghost Story, yet.
But I must know what happens!
I'm going to scurry away and read now.
Hopefully I'll get a decent review posted on here soon.
No. I will post an awesome review.
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