This book me a long time to read because it is a long book about a man with a long life. Michaelangelo lived to be 90, and every step of the way he suffered agony and ecstasy for his art... in other words, he whined alot.
The book spanned Michaelangelo's entire life, and included some discussion about his artistic process and his beliefs on religion. It was a biography, and included the banal things that occur in everyone's life inbetween all the drama... so it was hard to read at some points.
It was definitely interesting to see what life was like in that period, especially the life of someone who was so immersed with so many powerful people. But his artistic temperment caused him to whine alot, although his life and works would be far less astounding if he didn't.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Shadow's Edge by Brent Weeks
Ok... I read the second one. Same as the first one, interesting action sequences but I don't like that there's no overarching plot so things keep happening but I can't look forward to the resolution the events may bring. It's actually kind of annoying because he keeps introducing new characters, and have them start a plot for themselves but it doesn't mesh with the other plotlines until later in the book. It's like... long exciting action sequence, then long sequeway that doesn't really go anywhere.
This book starts about a week after the last book. Kylar has decided to give up the ways of the wetboy and run off with Elene and Uly (Durzo and momma K's daughter). They live in peace for awhile, but he isn't able to give up his calling. The Ka'kari won't let him, but Elene won't let him kill either so he's living a bit of a double life. Meanwhile, in Cenuria, the rebellion is in full swing because the Godking is a mother fucking bastard; Logan is still stuck in the hole; and Jarl becomes king of the underworld and realizes that he needs Kylar's help to bring down the Godking. Jarl goes and finds Kylar, Jarl get assassinated by his friend Vi (a wetboy who is a girl), Kylar runs off to help the rebellion for Jarl. Vi kidnapps Uly as a hostage, Elene goes after Uly, Vi and Uly get kidnapped by a wytch of some sort (Ariel who is a scholarly woman who wants to study Kylar), Kylar dies again, Vi runs away from Ariel, Ariel takes Uly to the Chantry where she will learn to be a wytch. Kylar comes back to life, gets to Cenuria, kills Hu Gibbert (traitor wetboy), rescues Logan, Logan leads the attack against the Godking's army, while Kylar is forced to team up with Vi to kill the Godking. Kylar dies again in the attempt to kill the Godking, and Vi magically binds herself to Kylar so she is able to break the spell the Godking has on her so she can kill the Godking. Godking dies, Logan wins, Elene is kidnapped, Kylar is depressed and finds out that Durzo is alive again....
A whole lot of other things happen that don't help the story, but occur and annoy me because they don't have a purpose or conclusion. Like Uly getting kidnapped, then what?! Is it a good thing, is it a bad thing, will Elene ever catch up, will the Chantry get what they want... or is this all some annoying ploy to make me read the third book. And there's no point for a third book to even exist. The main plot of the story is complete, the third book is only wrapping up the loose ends the author purposely added to the second book so there could be a trilogy.s Sigh... I will probably read the third book, just cause its convenient.
This book starts about a week after the last book. Kylar has decided to give up the ways of the wetboy and run off with Elene and Uly (Durzo and momma K's daughter). They live in peace for awhile, but he isn't able to give up his calling. The Ka'kari won't let him, but Elene won't let him kill either so he's living a bit of a double life. Meanwhile, in Cenuria, the rebellion is in full swing because the Godking is a mother fucking bastard; Logan is still stuck in the hole; and Jarl becomes king of the underworld and realizes that he needs Kylar's help to bring down the Godking. Jarl goes and finds Kylar, Jarl get assassinated by his friend Vi (a wetboy who is a girl), Kylar runs off to help the rebellion for Jarl. Vi kidnapps Uly as a hostage, Elene goes after Uly, Vi and Uly get kidnapped by a wytch of some sort (Ariel who is a scholarly woman who wants to study Kylar), Kylar dies again, Vi runs away from Ariel, Ariel takes Uly to the Chantry where she will learn to be a wytch. Kylar comes back to life, gets to Cenuria, kills Hu Gibbert (traitor wetboy), rescues Logan, Logan leads the attack against the Godking's army, while Kylar is forced to team up with Vi to kill the Godking. Kylar dies again in the attempt to kill the Godking, and Vi magically binds herself to Kylar so she is able to break the spell the Godking has on her so she can kill the Godking. Godking dies, Logan wins, Elene is kidnapped, Kylar is depressed and finds out that Durzo is alive again....
A whole lot of other things happen that don't help the story, but occur and annoy me because they don't have a purpose or conclusion. Like Uly getting kidnapped, then what?! Is it a good thing, is it a bad thing, will Elene ever catch up, will the Chantry get what they want... or is this all some annoying ploy to make me read the third book. And there's no point for a third book to even exist. The main plot of the story is complete, the third book is only wrapping up the loose ends the author purposely added to the second book so there could be a trilogy.s Sigh... I will probably read the third book, just cause its convenient.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks
I haven't read anything this hard core into the Fantasy genre in a long time, and I was quite nostalgic reading it. It reminded me of my angst filled youth.
The Way of Shadows is an entertaining story, but by no means especially well written or with particularly interesting ideas. It's a story about a street urchin who leaves his abusive life on the streets by apprenticing himself as a "wetboy" or super assassin. The author never really explains why they're called wetboys, just emphasizes the fact that they are supposed to be better than mere assassins because they have magic powers or "Talent". The kid, Azoth (renamed Kyler after he becomes an assassin) has the usual moral issues, becomes good and starts killing people. Near the end, the climax of the story arrives in one big long arc where the King of Kyler's country is assassinated, and the neighboring GodKing invades. There's conspiracy and subterfuge, and this thing called a ka'kari that gives special people super powers that Kyler's master spent his life guarding and collecting. Of course, Kyler's one of the few people who can use a ka'kari, so it ends with Kyler getting super powers to work as a bit of a cliffhanger for the next book. The biggest cliffhanger of course is when it is revealed that Kyler's best friend, Logan, and natural heir to the throne is still alive but stuck hiding in jail with psychopaths - makes you wonder how twisted he will become when he gets out.
The story itself is not very interesting, but the background is. The world created for this story is very complex, but unfortunately not very well explained. The author almost assumes you know a bit of the world before you start, so the reader just ends up being kinda confused as names and histories are thrown at you.
The Way of Shadows is an entertaining story, but by no means especially well written or with particularly interesting ideas. It's a story about a street urchin who leaves his abusive life on the streets by apprenticing himself as a "wetboy" or super assassin. The author never really explains why they're called wetboys, just emphasizes the fact that they are supposed to be better than mere assassins because they have magic powers or "Talent". The kid, Azoth (renamed Kyler after he becomes an assassin) has the usual moral issues, becomes good and starts killing people. Near the end, the climax of the story arrives in one big long arc where the King of Kyler's country is assassinated, and the neighboring GodKing invades. There's conspiracy and subterfuge, and this thing called a ka'kari that gives special people super powers that Kyler's master spent his life guarding and collecting. Of course, Kyler's one of the few people who can use a ka'kari, so it ends with Kyler getting super powers to work as a bit of a cliffhanger for the next book. The biggest cliffhanger of course is when it is revealed that Kyler's best friend, Logan, and natural heir to the throne is still alive but stuck hiding in jail with psychopaths - makes you wonder how twisted he will become when he gets out.
The story itself is not very interesting, but the background is. The world created for this story is very complex, but unfortunately not very well explained. The author almost assumes you know a bit of the world before you start, so the reader just ends up being kinda confused as names and histories are thrown at you.
Friday, July 9, 2010
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
An English translation of the Swedish crime novel "the Men who Hate Women". The Swedish title says alot. It's a thriller based around two crimes, sadistic hate crimes against women and financial crime. Officially there are two plots running through the story, but they never overlap.
It starts off with Mikael Blomkvist, who is convicted of libel against a corporate magnate. He never defended himself during his trial because he knew he could not prove his innocence. After he is convicted, he is hired by an old man looking to solve the supposed murder of his beloved niece, Harriet, 30 years ago. Mikael agrees, not really expecting to find anything... but he does. He is joined by Lisbeth Salander, a delinquent investigative genius with a twisted view of the world. She is the other protagonist in the story and you become very sympathetic towards her when you learn of her background. Together, they find out that Harriet is alive and living under a different name in Australia after running away that fateful day 30 years ago. She'd run away because she'd been suffering sexual abuse from her brother, a sadistic serial killer who continued to practice his twisted hobbies with other women after his sister left.
After Mikael solves the case, he goes back to clearing his name of the libel conviction - which he succeeds.
This is a great book, the story is suspenseful and unexpected. The crimes are graphic and unapologetic. I don't think I could ever read it again, nor could I ever watch the film version.
It starts off with Mikael Blomkvist, who is convicted of libel against a corporate magnate. He never defended himself during his trial because he knew he could not prove his innocence. After he is convicted, he is hired by an old man looking to solve the supposed murder of his beloved niece, Harriet, 30 years ago. Mikael agrees, not really expecting to find anything... but he does. He is joined by Lisbeth Salander, a delinquent investigative genius with a twisted view of the world. She is the other protagonist in the story and you become very sympathetic towards her when you learn of her background. Together, they find out that Harriet is alive and living under a different name in Australia after running away that fateful day 30 years ago. She'd run away because she'd been suffering sexual abuse from her brother, a sadistic serial killer who continued to practice his twisted hobbies with other women after his sister left.
After Mikael solves the case, he goes back to clearing his name of the libel conviction - which he succeeds.
This is a great book, the story is suspenseful and unexpected. The crimes are graphic and unapologetic. I don't think I could ever read it again, nor could I ever watch the film version.
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