What...!

Intellectually I know everyone and their dog has posted this on the social feeds today.
Logically I know I shouldn't get my hopes up for movies, because disappointment is a real thing.

But all I can say is wow!

Hermione Granger 
Emma Watson as Belle in Beauty and the Beast...Emotionally, it looks stunning!

 "There must be more..."

"Come into the light!"

What a lovely design is all I have to say!

Wolf Rescue 

Cheers!

Celtic Traveler

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My Life So Far

Hullo, lovely people:)
Wow, these past few months have been both odd and amazing, with lots of good things to read and movies to watch. And some of them have been so incredible, I had to share:

Little Boy is a movie that came out this year, and I don't know why it's not more well-known. It's absolutely superb! Set during WWII, a small boy's father-and-best-friend leaves to go to war. And this boy will do anything to get his dad back. The preacher tells him if he has faith, the impossible can happen. But it will require him to be kind, to visit the sick and the sick-in-heart, and even befriend the old local "Jap". But as the war continues, the adults in his life begin to worry. Will faith really be enough to bring his father back? Or will they end up having to break the hard truth to him? And can his simple love and faith stop the prejudice that threatens his new Japanese friend?
I. have. never. cried. so much. during one movie. Good tears and sad tears. The story is told simply and powerfully. I haven't seen a movie this good in years.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri (trans. Eileen Hall): I picked this up a couple of months ago expecting it to be boring. Far from it. It was absolutely enchanting! A very small girl named Heidi goes to live with her gruff grandpa in the Swiss alps. He doesn't like the local villagers and they don't like him. But Heidi's simple love of her grandfather softens the old man's heart. There are complications in her life and in the lives of others, but Heidi has a way of bringing hope and healing to people with her  personality, as well as helping her grandfather to believe in God again. It was a beautiful read, and the descriptions were stunning, and her interactions with people were both thought-provoking and funny.

Also coming up this weekend is General Conference, one of the highlights of my year! This is where the leaders of my church speak to us and it's broadcast all over the world. The topics are inspirational and spiritual, concerning issues of the day and how we can strengthen our families and our relationship with God. The great thing is, you don't have to belong to this church to watch--there's something in it for everyone:) So, I invite all of y'all (dear me, that rhymes) to watch it with me this weekend and get inspired! Click here for more info.

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Fire with Fire

Remember back when books had struggles between light and dark, not grey with black?
It is a curious trend I notice springing up in most literature, especially YA. The "good guys" are grey and fighting against a even worse threat.
I'm not saying antiheroes are bad, but at least there was a time when these anti-heroes learned their lesson and changed themselves and their world for the better. That is becoming increasingly rare.

Nowadays books are not so strict on the distinction between light and dark.
What are they telling us?

"It's okay to kill fellow children if you're trying to survive."
"Doomed souls like vampires and fallen angels make good romantic companions."

Now, many good books I know have characters that do take a brief walk on the dark side. But once the lesson is learned they turn towards the light and abandon the dark--they even defeat the dark with their new-found light.
Where did that all go?

You remember the old books? I mean, look at The Dark is Rising! The entire series is a literal Light vs. Dark!
Believe me, if Tolkien had never written The Lord of the Rings, and if it were written today, it's be some story of how a hobbit fought evil with the aid a possessive ring. It'd be grey vs. black.
Tolkien avoided that. The ring cannot be used by anyone. It is evil and cannot be used for good in any manner, shape, or form.

I suppose what I'm saying is that I wish that books nowadays didn't focus so much on fighting fire with fire (although I do see the need to defend yourself from evil by fighting.)
I just wish there were books nowadays where love, compassion, and truth could conquer overwhelming darkness.

Give me less darkness. I want light.

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The Hobbit Quotes II

Picture by Justin Gerard
"We may meet again before all is over, and then again of course we may not. That depends on your luck and on your courage and sense; and I am sending Mr Baggins with you."

The others laughed. "You were quite right," they said, "the meat's alive and kicking!"
"I'll soon put an end to that," hissed the angry spider climbing back onto the branch.

Under sunlight, under day!/South away! and South away!/Down the swift dark stream you go/Back to lands you once did know!

They knew that they were drawing near to the end of their journey, and that it might be a very horrible end.

"You have nice manners for a thief and a liar," said the dragon.

"I am the clue-finder, the web-cutter, the sting fly. I was chosen for the lucky number."
"Lovely titles!" sneered the dragon. "But lucky numbers don't always come off."
"I am he that buries his friends alive and drowns them and draws them alive again from the water. I came from the end of a bag, but no bag went over me."
"These don't sound so creditable," scoffed Smaug.
"I am the friend of bears and the guest of eagles. I am Ring-winner and Luckwearer; and I am Barrel-rider," went on Bilbo beginning to be pleased with his riddling.
"That's better!" said Smaug. "But don't let your imagination run away with you!"

"I kill where I wish and none dare resist."

The fire is more shining/On hearth in the gloaming/Than gold won by mining/So why go a-roaming?

"But our back is to legends and we are coming home. I suppose this is the first taste of it."
"There is a long road yet," said Gandalf.
"But it is the last road," said Bilbo.

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2012: A Year in Review

A Summary of Every Movie I Saw This Year and My Thoughts

Paperman: Am I the only one who thinks this should win Best Animated Feature? Even though it's a short film? Stunning animation, stunning story, and it was so beautiful I sobbed. Like a baby. And would have gone on doing so had I not been in public.
2016: Obama's America: A documentary that did more informing than bashing. Despite all that has happened, there can be no doubt that this film was a part of the election.
The Avengers: A character-driven and practically flawless film that raised the bar for Superhero movies.
The Odd Life of Timothy Green: If you have a family and a heart, you'll love it. If you prefer movies like Death Race and Bladerunner, you'll hate it.
Wreck-It Ralph: Despite some crudeness, a clever film with surprising emotional depth. Extremely fun.
Saints and Soldiers 2: Airborne Creed: Not as good as the first, but I didn't expect it to be. Intense WWII drama would be forgettable if not for the German officer's redemption story.
Brave: There was so much potential, but the story was lackluster and ultimately fell flat. The most to recommend the movie was the Scottish setting.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Overly bloated with scenes and characters that would have felt more at place in an extended edition, the movie suffered from a lack of pacing and bad CGI. An explosion of a movie that lost the heart of the story amid the debris.
The Hunger Games: Since seeing it, I've had to revise my opinion that I have nothing against it. I do. Kids killing kids--highly disturbing and left me with a dark, uninspired feeling.
Rise of the Guardians: Yet to be seen.

Iconic Movie Moments of 2012:

"I want tah change mah fate!"

"Pretend I'm Merida."

Absorbing the sun

"I'm always angry."

Reunited

The German officer and the American soldier

Riddles in the Dark

Creepiest Villains: Loki. Hands down, Loki.

Best Hair:
Merida from Brave 
Loki from The Avengers 
Vanellope from Wreck-It Ralph

Best Special Effects: The Avengers

Best Characters: 
Bruce Banner from The Avengers
The German Officer from Saints and Soldiers 2: Airborne Creed

Best Score:
A Promise by Alan Silvestri from The Avengers

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So, This is The Hobbit

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images.

It doesn't matter what I think.
Because of  loyalty to Tolkien and to the previous, well-done movie trilogy, this movie will be heralded as "not as good as The Lord of the Rings, but alright," and people will still flock to see it.
But all I can say is that Tolkien did not deserve that.
It starts out well enough, what with the prologue, and the dwarves barging in uninvited to Bilbo's home and singing, "That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!" And Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage fit their roles perfectly. It seemed, then, that the movie was going to be alright.

But then the quest began and so did my disappointment.
Unnecessary characters who weren't in the book, unnecessary fight scenes, and far too much emphasis on the necromancer--who only gets a passing mention in the book. The movie was very BUSY, with so many fights and  battles and whatnot, so that throughout all the busy-ness, the heart of the story was ultimately lost. Much of it felt like filler, like Jackson was attempting to cram in as much as possible in order to make part 1 of a simply-told children's book a three-hour long explosion.
(If that does little to convince those who have no interest in the books, then may I say how fake the CGI orcs and goblins looked? And the goblins were quite unbearable to watch, as their design made them much more gag-inducing than Jackson's previous creations.)

It's a shame the way it turned out, and I'm afraid I won't be seeing this again.
I still love Tolkien, however, and will forever remain true to the previous movie trilogy. This film, however, seems to have no part with them.

Verdict: You'll probably go see it anyway, but if the book is dear to your heart I advise you look elsewhere for a true adaptation.
Grey Travel Rating: 2/5
Special Effects: 2/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Acting: 5/5
Objectionable Content: An obese goblin's stomach is sliced, a couple of references to the nether-regions. 

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The Hobbit Quotes Part 1

Picture by Justin Gerard

"Good Morning!" said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining, and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat.

"What do you mean?" he said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"
"All of them at once," said Bilbo.

"We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!"

Far over the Misty Mountains cold,/To dungeons deep and caverns old,/We must away, ere break of day,/To seek the pale enchanted gold./The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,/While hammers fell like ringing bells,/In places deep, where dark things sleep,/In hollow halls beneath the fells./For ancient king and elvish lord/There many a gleaming golden hoard/They shaped and wrought, and light they caught,/To hide in gems on hilt of sword./On silver necklaces they strung/The flowering stars, on crowns they hung/The dragon-fire, on twisted wire/They meshed the light of moon and sun.

Trolls simply detest the very sight of dwarves (uncooked).

"Where did you go off to, if I may ask?" said Thorin to Gandalf as they rode along.
"To look ahead," said he.
"And what brought you back in the nick of time?"
"Looking behind," said he.

Even the good plans of wise wizards like Gandalf and of good friends like Elrond go astray sometimes when you are off on dangerous adventures over the Edge of the Wild; and Gandalf was a wise enough wizard to know it.

"Why, O why did I ever leave my hobbit-hole!" said poor Mr Baggins bumping up and down on Bombur's back.

He could hear the goblins beginning a horrible song: Fifteen birds in five firtrees,/their feathers were fanned in a fiery breeze!/But, funny little birds, they had no wings!/O what shall we do with the funny little things?/Roast 'em alive, or stew them in a pot;/fry them, boil them and eat them hot?

"A very good tale!" said he. "The best I have heard for a long while. If all beggars could tell such a good one, they might find me kinder. You may be making it all up, of course, but you deserve a supper for the story all the same."

"Breakfast!" he cried. "Where is breakfast?"
"Mostly inside us," answered the other dwarves who were moving about the hall; "but what is left is out on the veranda."

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A Guide to the Dwarves of The Hobbit

Created by Celtic Traveler via picmonkey.com. I do not own the pictures, fonts, or the rights to the movie, obviously.

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Famous Literary Swords: Sting

Sting
The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

As you can see, there are no Elvish markings when Bilbo first finds it.
These were added later by the elves at Rivendell.

Sting was lost around the same time as Glamdring, and in the same battle. Along with Glamdring, Sting was found in the troll hoard, where it was described as a blade that "would have made only a tiny pocket-knife for a troll, but it was as good as a short sword for the hobbit". The sword glowed blue whenever orcs or goblins were near (a common property of blades forged in Gondolin).

The sword's gaining of a name is an historic occurrence. After killing a spider in Mirkwood "all alone by himself...without the help of the wizard or the dwarves", Bilbo felt "a different person, and much fiercer and bolder..."

...he wiped his sword on the grass and put it back into its sheath. "I will give you a name," he said to it, "and I shall call you Sting."

Bilbo carried the weapon throughout the "incident with the dragon" and ended up giving Sting to his nephew Frodo, when the young hobbit was setting out to destroy the One Ring.
The sword seems to come in full circle, for it was on that same quest that Sam took up the sword to protect Frodo and kill the most dangerous and deadly of all spiders, Shelob.

"Let him go, you filth."

At the end of the Third Age Frodo gave the sword to Sam, and the sword became a Gamgee family heirloom.

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Mythical

If there's one collection of Greek myths I love, it's The McElderly Book of Greek Myths. It has to be one of the only collections I shall ever buy for my children.

The first reason, of course, is the narrative. Instead of treating the people scattered throughout the tales as stiff, black-and-white archetypes, Mr. Kimmel gives them character, explians their weaknesses and describes their strengths. He really makes them human (if human can be used to describe the mythical beings in the stories.)

Take this example from "Pandora's Box":

Epimetheus came home. He found Pandora lying on the floor...Her eyes were red from weeping.
The overturned box lay in the corner. He knew at once what had happened. "I am so sorry," Pandora said. "I broke my promise...I only meant to take a peek. Instead I ruined everything."
"Don't be sorry," said Epimetheus, taking her hand. "You made a mistake. That is all. the fault was mine. I should have explained what was in the box and why it had to remain closed."

It also has the occasional laugh, as shown in "Persephone and Hades":

Persephone let out a shriek. The ruler of the Underworld was frightening enough. Seeing him in
love was absolutely terrifying.

Even Medusa has depth. She is evil, to be sure, but only came down that path after becoming embittered by the curse that took away her beauty. 

And the romances are told in such a  beautiful way--even if most of them are tragic. (As a poster for the opera Orpheus and Eurydice once said: "Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy goes to Hades to get girl back.")

But the main reason I adore this collection are Pep Montserrat's illustrations. They add such passion and drama to the stories! The emotion in the pictures, coupled with Mr. Kimmel's writing really bring it all to life.

Take a look:

"Now is the time. Kill your father!"

I never wondered what Daedalus and Icarus might have felt
when they were imprisoned--until this illustration.

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The Lord of the Rings Tag

Got this off The Life of a Musician and Dancer.
Couldn't resist.
So here we go:

Have you read the books? 
Three times. Each.

Provided you've read the books, which is your favorite? 
The Fellowship of the Ring. There's something just so classic, so childhood-y nostalgic about it for me.

Have you read the Hobbit? 
Yes, twice. When I was young I remember the old cartoon was playing for it, but I didn't like it and didn't even know it had anything to do with The Lord of the Rings.

Have you read any Lord of the Rings companions? Not movie companions, but Middle Earth and book companions? 
I read the poems about Tom Bombadil, and I've also read The Children of Hurin, but it's not my favorite.

Have you seen the movies? 
Have I seen the movies? *maniac laugh*  Why does it ask us silly questions, preciousss?

Have you read any movie guides? If so, which one(s)? 
I own all of The Art of the Lord of the Rings books. They're brilliant.

Which is your favorite movie? 
It's between Fellowship and Return of the King. While Fellowship once more reminds me of my childhood, The Return of the King is. just. epic.

What's your favorite scene from the trilogy?
Just one?! Well, I'd have to say where Gandalf and the Rohirrim come charging down the hill as the sun rises. That's just stunning.

What scenes do you find exceptionally touching?
The Breaking of the Fellowship, where Frodo remembers Gandalf's words and Sam goes after him,
"There's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo",
and "I can't carry it for you. But I can carry you!"
Come to think of it, mostly ones involving Sam.

Have you seen the extended movies?
Yes, and I own the second one. It was a birsssday present.

Tell us your three favorite characters (good luck narrowing it down) and why.
Sam for his loyalty and innocent courage, Aragorn for his selfless bravery, and Faramir, because he has many emotional struggles, and so his happy ending with Eowyn is much more sweet.

Who bugs you the most in the terms of being really annoying (but not necessarily wicked?)
Gollum. I mean, sometimes I pity him, but sometimes I just wish Sam would shove his head in.

What are your feelings on Boromir? 
 It bugs me when people who haven't read the books think he's evil. He's not. He just gave in to the lure of the ring, and that was his downfall. He learned his lesson too late. But he was a good man, and you can really see that, especially in the way he looks out for Merry and Pippin, and in that extended scene with him and Faramir (why they didn't keep that in the theatrical version, I'll never know).

Who do you like better, Aragorn or Faramir? 
Aragorn. But I still love Faramir--he's also a good man.

Which Lord of the Rings weapon would you use?
A bow.

What do you think about Eowyn?
"...fair and cold, like a morning of pale spring..."
She's an incredible, brave woman.

If you were going into battle, which character would you want to take with you?
Aragorn.

Which girl is your favorite?
Eowyn.

Which hobbit is your favorite?
Samwise Gamgee.
(These questions are getting too easy.)

Which location is your favorite?
The Shire is just picturesque. I could gladly live there till the end of my days.

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Famous Literary Swords: Narsil/Andúril

Narsil/Andúril
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Narsil was forged in the First Age by the Dwarf Telchar, and its name was Quenya for "red and white flame". Everyone who's seen the movies thinks they know the story of how The Blade that was Broken came to broken in the first place. But they don't.

In the Battle of the last Alliance, King Elendil fell in death and Narsil broke beneath him. In the films, however, it breaks by Isildur (Elendil's son) killing Sauron. Also Narsil, in the books, breaks into two pieces while in the films it breaks into six.
The re-forging of the sword differs as well. In The Fellowship of the Ring Aragorn has it re-forged before they set out for Mordor, meaning that he probably was close to acepting his role as king.

The Sword of Elendil was forged anew by Elvish smiths, and on its blade was traced a device of seven stars set between the crescent Moon, and the rayed Sun...and about them was written many runes...And Aragorn gave it a new name and called it Andúril, Flame of the West.

And, of course, you all know how it ends up in the films.

But I won't be a purist. Though the films and books differ, the sword of Narsil is fascinating. And they couldn't have done a better design (Thank you, John Howe.)

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New Zealand Hobbit Safety Video

New Zealand Airlines did a Tolkien-based safety video, with special guest appearances by Peter Jackson, Gollum, and the Witch-King of Angmar.

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Liebster Tag

Detail from The Hostage by Edmund Blair Leighton

I was tagged by the lovely Marian at All That is Gold.

Rules:
1. You must post eleven facts about yourself.
2. You must also answer the eleven questions the awarder has given you and make up eleven questions for your awardees to answer in turn.
3. Tag eleven fellow bloggers.
4. Notify them that you've awarded them.
5. No tagging back.
6. And the eleven blogs you tag must have less than 200 followers.

FACTS
1. I am currently reading Les Misérables and loving it. (I hate the musical, however. Javert as the villain and not a mistaken civil servant? The Thénardiers as comic relief? C'mon.)
2. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. That is, a Mormon. (And, no, we don't practice polygamy:)
3. I've ridden a horse bareback.
4. Norse mythology is fascinating to me, and despite enjoying The Avengers, I'm having a hard time with these new misconceptions about Thor, Loki, Heimdall, and Odin. It's kinda frustrating.
5.  Prehistory is also a fascinating subject for me.
6. I think every writer ought to own a multi-purpose black cloak. It helps enormously.
7. I plan on attending the midnight showing of The Hobbit. It will be my first.
8. While we're on the subject, I own a White Tree of Gondor t-shirt that I made myself.
9. I sometimes lapse into British and Scottish accents.
10. My favorite film composer is John Powell.
11. I'm still working with the concept that photography can be art. Sometimes I think I'm still stuck in Impressionist times.

QUESTIONS
1. Favorite vegetable?
Onions. (Do those count?)

2. Is there anything you like now that you used to dislike?
Van Gogh paintings. He was an unstable man (read: insane) but I have to admit, he could paint!

3. Monkeys--cute or creepy?
 Extremely, extremely creepy.

4. What do you do when you're bored?
Read and write, although I am trying to work on not surfing the internet when I'm bored. Waste of time, that.

5. Do you like to garden?
Uh, no. Not really.

6. What is your favorite color and why?
Green. Because of Erin gra mo chroi (Ireland of my heart).

7. Your favorite screen/literary couple?
Funnily enough, I'd have to choose a couple no one's ever heard of. Prince Aethelbald and Princess Una from Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. They go through so much for each other, and are reunited under such bittersweet circumstances that their happy ending is, I think, all the more poignant.

8. If you could be any character from a book, who would you be?
As long as I was some animal living at Redwall Abbey I'd be perfectly content.

9. What is your favorite dessert?
Anything chocolate and preferably made from flour.

10. Do you have any traditions you made up yourself?
Does listening to the Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack whenever I read the book count as a tradition?

11. Do you usually get snow in December?
Only up in the mountains.

MY QUESTIONS:
1. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
2. Are you a part of any geekdoms (ex. LOTR, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Marvel, etc.)?
3. Which literary/movie character reminds you most of yourself?
4. Most unpredictable book/movie you've ever read/watched?
5. Favorite music genre(s)?
6. What do you fear?
7. Name an exotic pet you'd like to have if it was legal (anything from tigers to foxes to unicorns).
8. Any books or movies you'd like to live in?
9. Last song you listened to?
10. Newest obsession?
11. Pick a superpower!


I tag:
ANYONE who thinks this looks like fun. But, specifically Sierra, Kirthi, Faerie Artisan, and Izori.

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Famous Literary Swords: Glamdring

Glamdring
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

It is a sword of many names. In Sindarin its name literally translates to "Foe-hammer", and the Goblins in The Hobbit knew it only as "beater".

It was forged for the elf Turgon, a king of Gondolin during the First Age. He only used it twice in battle and the sword was ultimately lost to history for thousands of years.
Gandalf first came upon it in The Hobbit. After the incident with the trolls, they came upon the trolls' hoard, and it was there that Thorin Oakenshield gained the sword Orcrist (literally, "Goblin-cleaver", and nicknamed "biter" by said Goblins) and Gandalf gained Glamdring.
(It was there that Bilbo Baggins also took Sting, but we'll get to that in a later post.)

Throughout The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf wielded it, relying both on Glamdring and his skills as a wizard. After the War of the Ring and Gandalf's departure to the Undying Lands, the sword was kept in the treasure vault at Minas Tirith.

Ever since the films, Glamdring's look has been pretty much set in stone, although I rather like John Howe's representation:

The film version:

On the sword hilt it reads:
Turgon aran Gondolin tortha, Gar a matha I vegil Glamdring Gud Daedheloth, Dam an Glamhoth
which, translated is:
Turgon king of Gondolin wields, has and holds the sword Glamdring, Foe of Morgoth's realm, hammer to the Orcs.

And, of course, Glamdring will appear in the upcoming Hobbit film (which means that the clip with Gandalf in the ruins must happen after the troll incident. Speaking of which, what are those ruins to begin with?)

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Movie Quote Contest #2

Well, it's time for another Movie Quote Contest, since y'all asked for one.
Here's how it works: You leave a comment, telling me which characters said each quote (please give me the character's name) and also which movie it's from. You need to include both.
No cheating!
The contest opens now, and will end on on Monday the 15th at midnight.
Good luck to you all:
 
1

Character 1: Tell me what happened that night!
Character 2: What night?
Character 1: That night!
Character 2: Ah, that night.
Character 1: Yes! ...We're talking about the same night, right?

2
Character 1: Certainty of death...Small chance of success...What are we waiting for?

3
Character 1: You're so weird.
Character 2: You have no idea.

4
Character 1: Stay back! If I stare at the lock really hard, it'll burst into flames and melt.
Character 2: ...Now I'm concerned on a number of levels.

5
Character 1: Who's that?
Character 2: They don't like me.
Character 1: Who's that?
Character 2: They don't like me either.
Character 1: And who's that?
Character 2: Let's just assume for the moment that everyone in here doesn't like me!

6
Character 1: So I was wondering. Do you guys want to be called colored or black?
Character 2: Do we look like a load of laundry to you?

7
Character 1: You think you're gonna just walk in and walk out?
Character 2: No, I'm gonna fly out.

8
Character 1: Do have something you want to tell your father about school?
Character 2: Well--we dissected a frog.

9
Character 1: Carrots. Why is it always carrots? I didn't even eat carrots!

10
Character 1: My father taught us not to lie.
Character 2: Yeah, well, mine told me not to starve; so we both got an education.

11
Character 1: Ow!
Character 2: Oh, sorry! I thought you were someone I--Oh, it's you. Well, that's okay then.

12
Character 1: If you get called a jerk four times in a single day, does that make it true?
Character 2: What, only four? Did you get up late?

13
Character 1: Okay, run along now, you impossible child.

14
Character 1: I speak French, but that doesn't make me Joan of Arc.

15
Character 1: There's something delicious about writing the first words of a story...You can never quite tell where they'll take you.

16
Character 1: We may have to kill that one.

17

Character 1: I was hiding under your porch, because I love you. Can I stay?

18
Character 1: I know it's a rock! Don't you think I know a rock when I see a rock? I've spent a lot of time around rocks!

19
Character 1: Mother, Father, I want to build a University, with the largest library on the continent, where anyone can study, no matter their station!
Character 2: All right...Who are you, and what have you done with my son?

20
Character 1: You may ask, how did this tradition get started? I'll tell you...I don't know.

21
Character 1: It's so far.
Character 2: It's the world, dear. Did you expect it to be small?

22
Character 1: They have a cave troll.

23
Character 1: The day he died the people cried.
Character 2: They cried?
Character 1: They cried  three cheers!

24
Character 1: Tell me, what exactly is the function of a rubber duck?

25
Character 1: Where is it, you little one-eyed cretin?
Character 2: Okay, first of all, it's "creetin". If you're going to threaten me, do it properly.

26
Character 1: I'm looking for...a girl?
Character 2: Ain't we all?

27
Character 1: Well let me know if "real power" wants a magazine or somethin'.

BONUS QUOTE

Character 1: And you think we're the ones?
Character 2: Well you'd better be, 'cause Aslan's already fitted out your army!

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Famous Literary Swords: The Sword of Martin the Warrior

The Sword of Martin the Warrior
The Redwall series by Brian Jacques

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

It was an ordinary enough sword, with a "red pommel stone...set into the top of the hilt. The handle was of black leather and silver to match the belt and scabbard. Below a heavy silver crosspiece was the blade. Made from the finest steel, its double edges tapered to a ruthlessly sharp tip. Down the center of the blade ran a blood channel..." (Redwall, pg. 293, British edition)
It was first wielded by Luke the Warrior, who gave it to his young son Martin before he left to go avenge the death of his wife. But in his absence a tyrant named Badrang took the young Martin and his grandmother as slaves to work on his fortress of Marshank. He even took the sword of Martin's father.
Though his grandmother did not survive, Martin did, and when a mouse named Rose appeared (perhaps I should have mentioned--they're all animals) Martin and others made thier escape and soon battled Marshank to free the rest of the slaves. It was in this final battle that Martin took back his sword and slew Badrang with it.

Years passed and he made his way to Mossflower country, where another tyrant, the wildcat Tsarmina, took him prisoner. She broke his sword in half and hung it about his neck as a badge of shame. When Martin escaped with newfound friens they set out to find the legendary Boar the Fighter to aid them in thier fight for Mossflower's freedom. Boar forged a new blade for the broken from a "fallen star" and the questers returned to free Mossflower.
Once all were free Martin founded Redwall Abbey and hung up his sword, swearing never to fight again.

Generations later when the warlord Cluny the Scourge threatened Redwall's peace, a young mouse named Matthias set out to find Martin's legendary sword and keep Redwall safe.
The sword wielded by many other warriors throughout, and was sometimes stolen (or attempted to be stolen) by ruthless villains who viewed the weapon as "magic." But as Matthias told his son Mattimeo, "...this is only a sword, Mattimeo. It does not make you a warrior merely because you carry it. Weapons may be carried by creatures who are evil, dishonest, violent or lazy. The true warrior is good, gentle and honest. His bravery comes from within himself; he learns to conquer his own fears and misdeeds."

The illustrations of the sword are very usually the same. The best representation is probaly shown in the American cover of Redwall:

The only time it varied slightly was in one of Fangorn's illustrations for The Legend of Luke, with a pommel fashioned completely from a red stone:

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Sometimes

If you've been following this blog, you'd know by now that I love The Lord of the Rings. I've read the books three times and watched the films countless times. I own Lord of the Rings Trivia and play it with gusto.
But sometimes, somehow, people seem to lose sight of the books, and the man who started it all as they celebrate the actors' birthdays and watch the latest Peter Jackson vlog.
Myself included.

Sometimes I just want to take a break from the world. Sometimes I just want to curl up with the books and and enjoy them in their purest and simplest form.

And I can't help but wonder, is this just me?

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Mayhem and Mystery

Not the edition I read, but I suppose
it'll do in a pinch.

The Moonstone

by Wilkie Collins

I think Charles Dickens (yes, that Charles Dickens) described this book best when he said "It is a very curious story, wild yet domestic."

When her uncle, Mr. John Herncastle dies, Rachel Verinder inherits the legendary Moonstone diamond from him, the one he allegedly stole from India. When it is stolen on the morning after her birthday, it seems like an open-and-close case. But nobody is what they seem, and the best and the worst of intentions can be misread.

Simply put, I enjoyed this book. A lot. As in, every morning I'd wake up eager to read more and discover what would happen next. The mystery was baffling, and it seemed the more I learned the less I knew. It also wasn't like any other mystery I've ever read. It wasn't just looking for clues amid innocent and guilty people--these character's emotions and feelings either hindered or helped the hunt for the lost diamond, and in a very realistic way (although once or twice the women were prone to hysterics. But after all, it is a very old book.)

But I think what really made this a classic of literature were the characters. The story was told in separate narratives by different characters, and each of them had such a distinct voice you could swear they were real. I loved old Betteredge, the loyal servant with a love for a certain book, and Franklin Blake, the young man trying to win his cousin Rachel's love, and Sergeant Cuff, the clever detective with a penchant for roses. And let's not forget Ezra Jennings, who's story of redemption is...well...stirring.
Heck, I even liked Gooseberry, and he only showed up for two chapters near the end.
Rachel's other cousin, Miss Clack, was also very real, but also very holier-than-though. I was glad to finish her part of the story, which fortunately wasn't long.

The ending was satisfying, but it could have seemed far-fetched if the author hadn't handled it right. Fortunately, he did, and that made it all the more satisfying.
There was romance, tons of suspense, and even good old-fashioned humor.
I loved The Moonstone, and would definitely have it upon my shelf.

Favorite Line: If you are curious to know what course I took under the circumstances, I beg to inform you that I did what you would probably have done in my place. I modestly  declared myself to be quite unequal to the task imposed upon me--and I privately felt, all the time, that I was quite clever enough to perform it, if I only gave my own abilities a fair chance.

Objectionable Content: Uses of the Lord's name in vain, and uses of the D-word. Brief mention of a love nest (all they mention is "a lady and a villa". It has no bearing on the story.)

Related Reads:
Anything written by Agatha Christie
Sherlock Holmes-Arthur Conan Doyle
The Purloined Letter-Edgar Allan Poe

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Literary Lists: Famous Literary Swords: The Sword of Shannara

The Sword of Shannara
The Shannara series by Terry Brooks

When the Warlock Lord waged war against the Four Lands, the last Druid named Bremen had it forged by master smith Uprox Screl. He then imbued it with magic and gave it to the elf king, Jerle Shannara. Jerle was able to defeat the Warlock Lord, but only temporarily.


Years later Jerle's line had all but died out. His last descendant was half-elf, half-human Shea Ohmsford. Shea set out out to find the sword and finish what the enemy had started.
But the sword is a sword of truth, and those who hold it may not like what they find. And it was Shea, all alone, who had to see this truth and destroy the Warlock Lord once and for all. 

Although I don't find the rest of the Shannara series to my taste, the original book continues to fascinate. The sword is traditionally illustrated as glowing and with a curved hilt, as seen on the covers:

Although, in The World of Shannara, a guidebook to the series, it is illustrated quite differently:

The text itself describes it rather vaguely:

[It had a] handle of polished silver, laced with reddish streaks of light that seemed to burn and twist in the bright metal like living things.

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