Sunday, March 20, 2011

What I'm reading

Rocannon's World
by Ursula K. le Guin
Science Fiction

I've read this before, but picked it up again because, to be completely honest, I discovered some new (to me) technology and wanted to download an audio book directly onto my iPhone. So now I'm listening to it.

It's a very good book, and I recommend it. I don't know how to describe it, but let's just say that it's got plenty of adventure! :)

I was listening to it as I was going to sleep last night...but then I later woke up at a rather spooky part. I now think that it isn't exactly a good bedtime story.


Emily Dickinson
Poetry

I can't remember which of her books I picked up, but I got it at a book sale at a library for 50 cents. With a price like that, I couldn't pass it up. (I also bought a le Guin book for the same price. Awesome.)

I wound up reading some of the poems to a friend of mine just hours after I got it. She was going to sleep as I read. I suppose you could argue that that illustrates how boring poetry is, but I prefer to think that it indicates how soothing the poems are, that someone who needs sleep can listen to them and not be jarred out of dream land. :)


by Tamora Pierce
Fantasy

I just checked this out from Library2Go to listen to at night, since I won't be listening to Rocannon's World at bedtime. I've listened to it...I don't know how many times. :) It's a good book. Again, I recommend this book.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

A review: "The Action Bible"

Last evening I finished reading The Action Bible, written by Doug Mauss and illustrated by Sergio Cariello.

The Action Bible is a graphic novel written with the idea that the Bible contains the "original action heroes." I think that it does a fairly good job of translating the Bible into a graphic novel, though there are places where I was irritated because I thought that important details had been edited out.

This book does a good job of portraying the message and overall story of the Bible in a way which might make it easier for those who might want to read it but who normally find it to be dry and boring . The story is paced quickly and the illustrations are captivating. That being said, if you want to fully understand any part of the Bible I would recommend picking up a more traditional Bible and reading the relevant section because, as I said, certain important details are edited out of certain stories.

Of particular interest to me was how the New Testament was handled. In some cases historical context was provided so that the story might be more fully understood, and maps were presented to illustrate where the apostles traveled. Maps are provided throughout the Old Testament as well, but not nearly as often.

Something that was a little disconcerting in the New Testament was the chapter heads. Throughout all of the Old Testament that chapter heads had always started at the top of a new page, but partway through the New Testament they began to be placed halfway down a page: this way, an old chapter ended and a new one began on a single page. For unity's sake I think it would have been better for the format to not be changed, but it did not effect the story being told.

My major complaint, really, is that I felt like I was having Christianity shoved down my throat when all I wanted was the story of the Bible. But I guess that's the hazard to any Pagan who decides to pick up the Bible. So I really can't complain.

Overall I found The Action Bible to be a good book and I think it would be an excellent introduction to the Bible. I give it four out of five stars.

Note: If you're interested, you can look inside of The Action Bible on Amazons.com.

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