Sean

Not at all my sort of book, and that is precisely why I read it (and, so far, the next two volumes as well). I am not one to write a meaningful review of any manga or of any teen romance. So let me just say that I had planned to read only volume 1 but wound up reading all the volume (1-3) that exist in English so far. The story and storytelling were sufficiently engaging to make me want to read just a little bit more.

What an odd book. It purports to be “a work of Metaphysical Fantasy.” That's right there in the Publisher's Note, which should have been called the Warning, right up front. It seems almost to say, “Warning! You are probably not adequate for this book. Turn back now if you are looking for entertainment. Only brave philosophers will understand and appreciate this book.” The “About the Author” at the end continues the smug theme. His work is described as “bizarre, mind-bending, and (some might say) heretical.” Who, please, would say “heretical”? There is no orthodoxy in our society to depart from; we have carefully removed the possibility of heresy years ago. All ideas are fair play.

And the truth is, I'm not sure what the idea that would be called heretical is. Yes, he posits that the Creator of our world is crazy, but that is only slightly more brave than simply declaring that there is no God at all. Maybe it is a sad thing, but I believe we have reached a point where that is not “heresy” or even anything to be taken seriously.

But simply stop looking for metaphysical insights and you are in for a treat. The story-telling is smooth and engaging. The atmosphere is genuinely interesting and novel. Best of all is Grey-Sun's handling of the unsettling and confusing psychedelic experiences of the main character, Robert. He handles the conflicting and shifting boundaries between “real” and absurd with a deftness that left me in awe. There is no gimmick to mark the onset of weirdness. It just happens. Grey-Sun resists the temptation to be precious and overblown with the psychedelia. Instead, he writes about the oddest and most surreal experiences imaginable in a way that seems utterly believable.

Don't read this for metaphysical insight, but do read it to enjoy a master of his craft doing a little slight of pen that may leave you spellbound. I will most certainly recommend it to a few fans of Science Fiction and surrealism who appreciate attending to masterful use of the language and careful structure, those who can appreciate a book for the author's admirable craft.

[I read an ARC.]

I can actually draw now–a little bit–thanks to this book. I know I would be able to draw much better if I gave it some time and effort. I would have thought such a thing impossible before I opened this book. The author taught me how to stop and look at what is really there in front of me, not simply to rely on my ingrained symbolic representations of things.

Excellent. Although she continues to romanticize the pagan past–which is, by definition, unrealistic–I love these books. Walton retells the stories of the Mabinogion with grace, respect, and great beauty. Although she is definitely a modern writer, with a modern writer's concern for psychology and detail, her books never make me feel like I am reading a modern attempt at retelling an older story. Rather, they have such integrity that they read seamlessly with the air of authenticity. The only thing I do not like is her tendency to expand the meaning of a sentence with a sentence fragment after the sentence. Which she does fairly often.

What an amazing exploration and exposition of the almost-artistic soul. I quite identify with the characters in these stories, perhaps more than I care to admit publicly. I know so many persons who are almost artists, wannabe artists, not quite artists, and also actual artists who just can't quite seem to. How could someone as genuinely successful in her art as Cather have depicted our state so accurately? There is a reason she is known to be great among authors.

I'm not going to attempt a review–the book's too big and I have only just finished it for the first time. I will confine myself to a few reactions.
1. I LOVE IT!
2. Dostoyevsky has written one of the world's great books.
3. I will be reading it again.
4. This is one of the most psychologically accurate, perceptive, and honest things I have read in a long time. Or ever.
5. I LOVE IT!
6. Everybody was right who told me to read it. I was wrong to wait so long.
7. Wow. I am, to be honest, speechless, so I will shut up for now. Maybe later I will be able to write intelligently about this book.
8. Thank you, Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Wright deals with this big topic from a really biblical point of view, from a genuinely Christian perspective. It is so easy to let the Bible become nothing more than an excuse for our unrepentant dramatics, despair, or sense of superiority. Wright dashes all that nonsense to the ground with a good dose of biblical realism, Christian humility, and divine hope. Do you need to read this book? Almost certainly you do.

It's the real deal. In a world full “Celtic twilight,” those of us who believe that authentic Celtic-style Christianity has something real and important to say, can feel a little bit drowned in fluff. this book of translations of source material is a refreshing oasis. I especially like the translation of The Alphabet of Devotion.

It gets five stars, of course it does, but I am discovering, the older I get, that I really dislike the knights in the Norman influenced stories. Running around playing games with each other when there are very real problems that need solving. They aren't men at all, but big children playing at tourney.

Arnold has done a masterful job with his translation, but I'm not terribly fond of it. His verse form allows him a good deal of freedom, but imposes constraints that may or may not (how would I know?) alter the meaning he conveys. Though a bit murky in spots, his English is serviceable. I recommend it, but not as the only translation you should read. Isherwood's translation, or even Prabhupada's, would help.

In spite of the run-on sentences, this book was the most entertaining book aimed at Spanish learners I have read. The story was actually interesting, unlike some which just plod along about nothing. Even the run-on sentences gave me the feeling of not being hand held too much, and so even the big flaw of the book had its positive side.

I really enjoyed this book. The set has been in my life for decades, and although I have looked at the pictures, I have never read any of the words. So it's time to learn something. I started with Giotto at random, and I am glad I did. Eimerl gave me exactly what I wanted, a nice overview of the historical context in which Giotto flourished. An attempt at a detailed biography of the man would have been too specialized (and probably impossible), so the balance was struck quite well.

This was a lot of fun, and it is the first choose-your-own-adventure I have read in years. The Spanish was at a good level for me, and, except for the author's tendency to write run-on sentences, the writing style is enjoyable. I recommend it to Spanish learners who get bored of most of the books written for Spanish learners.

Peder Victorious is possibly even more riveting as a character study than was Giants in the Earth. The fact that Rølvaag could maintain my fascinated interest in a book so far out of my normal reading zone is a testimony to his greatness. I am grateful for these first two books, and I look forward to reading the third.

A good reader for someone at A2 or even B1 level. the only problem I had is one I always do with books that offer selective vocabulary help–why did they define that word but not also this word and this one and that other one? But that quibble aside, it is good. I like the art and the story is interesting on its own. I liked it enough that I plan to read the next two in the series.