Category Archives: Reading Together

Reading Together #19

As I told you on Twitter will my entry for this weeks #LoveWritingChallenge be published on Thursday. It’s just easier for me to do it that way…
Instead I give you this post, as I want to talk about my newest read. 😉
You can obviously participate in these questions by either using my translated or the original German version.

What is Reading Together?

“Gemeinsam Lesen” as it is originally called, is a project by German book bloggers Schlunzenbuecher. Each Tuesday you have to answer four questions regarding your current read.
For more information and my old participations take a look at this page: Reading Together.
Without any further ado, let’s take a look at today’s, obviously translated, questions:

1. Which Book are you currently reading and which page are you on?

As I saw the package on Sunday I knew I had to put away Irving’s essay collection and start with this: PWNED by Matt Vancil.
PWNED is part of the Gamers universe by Dead Gentlemen Productions (DGP) and Zombie Orpheus Entertainment (ZOE) and Matt Vancil is one of the masterminds behind it and JourneyQuest (and more). It tells the story of a young man that tries to win back his girlfriend from the clutches of the MMORPG Fatherall Online by entering the world himself. But as one knows from The Gamers: Nothing is as it seems.
As it’s hard to put down and easy to read am I already on page: 105

2. What is the first sentence on your current page?

English:

TIP: Grouping with other players is a great way to earn experience points!

German:

TIP: Sich mit anderen Spielern zu verbinden, ist ein guter Weg Erfahrungspunkte zu sammeln!

3. What do you desperately need to tell about your current book? (Thoughts, Feelings, a Quote, whatever you want!)

For those that don’t want to read the Gamers post a short summary:

The respective stories [of the three Gamers movies] follow[s] a group of table top gamers (one in the first one, one for part two and three) and their campaigns, but instead of just talking the audience through what the characters are doing, the actors also take up the roles of their characters and show what is happening during the game, sometimes narrating or commenting it with gaming terms (Attack names, “Critical Hit”, etc.).

PWNED tells a Gamers story that never made it on screen. It takes place alongside the third movie, but before the upcoming series. The characters from the „2nd generation“ (Lodge, Cass and Leo) are the side characters in this one. When I saw it amongst the add-ons after the Orcish Dictionary campaign I just thought it sounded interesting to read this story rather than seeing it.
The more you get into the Gamers universe, the larger it becomes and with the upcoming Hopjockey-novels (also by Vancil) it’ll be clear HOW MUCH, everything DGP and ZOE created over the years is connected. I’m quite excited for this, but for now I’m thoroughly enjoying this one.
It’s a bit strange to read the switch between gamer and character, but it’s well done and you still know when the perspective is no longer the one looking at it from the outside. As in all of his (their) work you really know that it’s done by a gamer who loves what he’s doing. It reflects in the chosen words, the descriptions, the little things added to the story (like tips for new gamers at the start of every chapter). It’s just great to have something like this, combined with great characters.
I’m really curious how this story will play into the overall story arc and if there will be a connection to The Shadow! The Shadow? The Shadow… 😉

4. Is it important for you to inspire other people (e.g. your children, friends, colleagues, family, etc.) to read?

Uhm….good question…I think it is. At least it always feels great when someone reads something I enjoyed and even better if they enjoy it as well. But I wouldn’t push others into reading. When I gush about something and they decide to check it out, well, that’s definitely a win. 😉

Additional thoughts

As it’s sunny today I went to get some ice cream after work, but they also served waffles, which made for the more appropriate dish for continued reading. 😀
As far as I know is this story only available in English and it is pretty much a gaming-genre read, but maybe there is someone out there who hasn’t heard of it yet and thinks it sounds interesting enough to check out?
By the way: If you like stuff by DGP (& ZOE): They have a Kickstarter running for a new series of Demon Hunter’s.
PoiSonPaiNter
© For the cover, the quote and the banner belong to their rightful owners.

Reading Together #18

Another Tuesday, another Reading Together.
You can obviously participate in these questions by either using my translated or the original German version.

As a reminder:

“Gemeinsam Lesen” as it is originally called, is a project by German book bloggers Schlunzenbuecher. Each Tuesday you have to answer four questions regarding your current read.

For more information and my old participations take a look at this page: Reading Together.

Without much further ado, let’s take a look at today’s, obviously translated, questions:

1. Which Book are you currently reading and which page are you on?

I’m still reading Washington Irving’s The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent or Sleepy Hollow: Schaurige Erzählungen (Ghastly Tales) a book that I started reading back in 2014. It’s a collection of different essays and stories by Irving.

After a few days of reading I’m now on page 111.

2. What is the first sentence on your current page?

Alles dieß lasse ich als eine reiche Fundgrube hinter mir, welche spätere Erläuterer bearbeiten mögen; auch zweifele ich nicht, daß die Tabaksdose und der »halbvergoldete Becher,« welche ich jetzt an das Tageslicht gebracht habe, später Gegenstände zu Kupferstichen hergeben, und beinahe eben so viele bändereiche Abhandlungen und Streitschriften erzeugen werden, als der Schild des Achilles, oder die weitberühmte Portland-Vase.

or in English:

All this I leave, as a rich mine, to be worked by future commentators, nor do I despair of seeing the tobacco-box, and the “parcel-gilt goblet” which I have thus brought to light the subject of future engravings, and almost as fruitful of voluminous dissertations and disputes as the shield of Achilles or the far-famed Portland Vase.

Thanks internet for providing online reading material…I really wouldn’t have wanted to type and translate that…

3. What do you desperately need to tell about your current book? (Thoughts, Feelings, a Quote, whatever you want!)

Since last week I’ve come across some very interesting essays, one being English Writers on America, another being The Art of Book-Making and the last one being The Boar’s Head Tavern, Eastcheap. All of them have quite interesting points that even seem valid today.

In the first one he talks about English media relying on unreliable sources telling them about the New World (aka America) and this quote stood out to me in regards to the way modern media portrays certain things:

Knowledge is power, and truth is knowledge; whoever, therefore, knowingly propagates a prejudice, wilfully saps the foundation of his country’s strength.
– W. Irving: English Writers on America

In The Art of Book-Making he describes a dream sequence were authors act like beggars and put together their own garments by using the works of those that came before them, essentially implying that no work of fiction – or even non-fiction – is new and just made up off thoughts and writings of authors of previous generations.
It’s a fascinating picture of something every writer came across at some point.

The last one deals with being a fan – in this case of Shakespeare – and what fans are willing to do to re-live what their heroes have written or to explore their writings differently. In Irving’s case he recalls a journey to Eastcheap where he wants to visit the tavern described in Henry IV. Things like that are still done today and not just for books, but also movies and TV shows. It’s even encouraged through provided tours or guides to explore those places yourself. While we were in Bath, e.g. we followed an audio guide to take us to the places of Jane Austen’s life and books in the town – during my commute days I then listened to Northanger Abbey that partly took place in there. We did the same in London, where we followed – amongst others – a Sherlock Holmes audio tour, even if it was more in regards to the first Robert Downey Jr. movie than the actual books. I believe it can be quite interesting to see where the inspiration for a story or movie was taken from and then see how it was changed through the authors eyes.
And I’m pretty sure I read a post about this the other day, but I can’t remember where it was…

If anyone has a clue, let me know!
It wasn’t this one by the Schreibmeer (Writing Ocean, though probably also a pun on schreib mehr/write more, as it’s a page giving you writing advice), but it’s still an interesting (German) read: From Cosplay to self-research the hard way – When authors slip into the roles of their characters.

Another essay that might be interesting to some might be The Broken Heart, about the very true effect of women actually dying from heartbreak.

Seeing as there is quite a lot of stuff for these four available online, I’m pretty sure a lot of people seem to consider them similarly interesting. And I’m pretty sure I have to re-read the early pages to not miss out on other potentially interesting essays.

I also came across the Rip Van Winkle story, which seems to be rather famous, but I can’t say I ever actually heard about it… It does remind me of Schandmaul’s „Reich der Träume“ (Realm of Dreams) though, which I kind of put into a story here: Back from a Dream.
Though I do believe the story of someone disappearing into a dream land for years and returning to find their old life in ruins is quite a common and old concept. Which probably is the reason, why I didn’t care that much for the story itself…

On a different note: I’m pretty sure I can enjoy the essays about life in England/London more, now that I’ve actually visited it. Just like I appreciated the nods to the Gothic culture in Kinder des Judas more, after being more involved in it.

4. Do you have a booky project of the heart or a favourite book where you don’t waste any chances to make it known, because you think everyone should hear about it? Tell us about it!

Uhm…not really…There are books that I occasionally recommend to people, but I wouldn’t call them projects of the heart…that’s more likely to happen with shows, series and comics these days…
Though I did go to my local library to support/advertise the Märchenspinnerei yesterday…

Additional thoughts

Last weekend I send off a translated and lengthened version of the first part of the Neubrandenwolf for a writing contest. I also wrote down a story for the latest Bücherstadtkurier contest, the one where my story got chosen a couple of years ago, but I haven’t send it to them yet. I’ll probably read through it a couple more times, before daring to do that.

opefully I’ll get some other writing done for The Queen’s Wish or even some of the old stuff lying around … we’ll see…

PoiSonPaiNter

Reading Together #17

Remember when I last told you about the stuff I was reading at the time?
Really? Wow, great memory! That was more than two years ago!
Anyway, since I’m not really happy with the post-count recently I decided to start participating in this activity again, so you’d get at least a post on Tuesdays – I might participate in another one on Fridays as well, we’ll see.

As a reminder:

“Gemeinsam Lesen” as it is originally called, is a project by German book bloggers Schlunzenbuecher. It was created by Asaviel and later adopted by Schlunzenbuecher.
Each Tuesday you have to answer four questions regarding your current read.

For more information and my old participations take a look at this page: Reading Together.
Without much further ado, let’s take a look at today’s, obviously translated, questions:

1. Which Book are you currently reading and which page are you on?

Today I decided to pick up Washington Irving’s The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent or Sleepy Hollow: Schaurige Erzählungen (Ghastly Tales) a book that I started reading back in 2014.
It’s a collection of different essays and stories by Irving and I basically only bought it originally to read Sleepy Hollow and decided to actually do so after starting with the Sleepy Hollow TV Show. The story itself is located somewhere in the back of the book, so it’s still a long way to go for me, as I’m still on page 46.

2. What is the first sentence on your current page?

Mit dem Gefühle tiefen Bedauerns beobachte ich, wie die literarische Animosität zwischen England und Amerika von Tag zu Tag wächst.

or in English:

It is with feelings of deep regret that I observe the literary

animosity daily growing up between England and America.

Technically I cheated with this one, as the page starts with the title (English Writers on America) and a quote from Milton about Freedom of Speech (the „Methinks“ one), but this one seemed more interesting.

3. What do you desperately need to tell about your current book? (Thoughts, Feelings, a Quote, whatever you want!)

Seeing as it took me years to pick up the book again and my relatively slow progress with it, I wouldn’t be surprised if I put it away again after reading a few stories.
It’s not that they’re not interesting, but they’re a bit complicated and long and – what probably bugs me most – in a horribly small font. It’s exhausting to read, so I don’t get far when I actually do.
I can’t quite remember the previous stories, but I don’t feel like starting from the get go again, so maybe I’ll just skim through them to refresh my memory…

4. Are you planning the Reading Together beforehand or are you answering the questions spontaneously on the day?

Well…as I haven’t participated in two years this one was quite spontaneously done…
Still, if I had the chance to know the fourth question beforehand, I’d use it.
I remember preparing the first three questions more or less beforehand, when I knew which book I’d be reading, so that I only had to add the page number and quote when I’ve done the reading on my way back from work.
Though, I do not plan what I’m going to read on a Tuesday so it could be featured on a Reading Together. Even if I had a few books where I hoped they’d last until Tuesday so I could talk about them. 😀

Additional thoughts

I really hope this’ll get me back into Blogging, but I’m still busy with those pesky stories and life-stuff, so we’ll see if it’ll work.
You can obviously participate in these questions by either using my translated or the original German version.
PoiSonPaiNter
© For the cover, the quote and the banner belong to their rightful owners.

Reading Together #16

I present to you my sixteenth instalment of Weltenwanderers and Schlunzenbüchers „Gemeinsam Lesen“ (Reading Together).

Each Tuesday one of them asks four questions, with the first three always being the same about the book one is currently reading and the fourth a new one by either of them. All questions below are obviously translated from today’s German post.

1. Which Book are you currently reading and which page are you on?

This week I’m kind of reading two books.
On the one hand did I start with The Fellowship of the Ring, Part One of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, which I chose as part of BiblioSmile’s Summer Book Challenge as a book I always meant to get around to.
With this one I’m on page 69.
On the other hand did I start with The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis, which is the first part of the Chronicles of Narnia, even though it was published last.
Here I’m currently on page 146.
I kind of switch between them on occasion and today I explored Narnia.

2. What is the first sentence on your current page?

„What’s the Thing talking about, Horse?“

or in German:

„Wovon redet das Ding, Pferd?“

3. What do you desperately need to tell about your current book? (Thoughts, Feelings, a Quote, whatever you want!)

One of the reasons I switch is because it is exhausting to read the long and carefully structured sentences in the Fellowship. I have to read some of them several times before I fully grasp what they mean and that means I can’t follow the story as easily as I had hoped. The Narnia book is a nice alternative here, as the phrasing is fit for children, though sometimes just as confusing.
While reading I remembered bits of the first LotR movie already and I think, I also already saw a few differences between the written and the movie-version. But it’s still nice to get a different angle on the whole thing.
And there weren’t as many pages describing the Shire (I had to think for a moment what it was called in English as I’m too used to the German version: Auenland – meadowsland) as I had anticipated from others‘ tales.
The only thing that actually bugged me was that it was never said which dwarves visited Bilbo on his 111th Birthday. I wanted to know if there were some we knew from the Hobbit. >_<
And I was surprised that Frodo turned 50 before the whole story actually began…the movies give you a totally different impression here…
Narnia has a completely different narration and it’s odd when the narrator addresses the audience, but it is still quite interesting to read about the discovery and birth of Narnia.

4. Do you put the books you are going to read into an order early on or do you decide spontaneously which one will be the next after you finished a book?

Like so many things this depends.
Most of the times I just pick a book I feel like reading, but there are also times – especially now in regards to the challenges – where I think which would be best to read next in order to finally finish them.

Additional thoughts

You can obviously participate in these questions by either using my translated or the original German version.
PoiSonPaiNter
© For the cover, the quote and the banner belong to their rightful owners.

Reading Together #15

I present to you my fifteenth instalment of Weltenwanderers and Schlunzenbüchers „Gemeinsam Lesen“ (Reading Together).

Each Tuesday one of them asks four questions, with the first three always being the same about the book one is currently reading and the fourth a new one by either of them. All questions below are obviously translated from today’s German post.

1. Which Book are you currently reading and which page are you on?

I couldn’t resist finishing Die Seiten der Welt (The Pages of the World) by Kai Meyer yesterday, but I didn’t feel like tackling the next book yet. Though I know what it will be: The Fellowship of the Ring, Part One of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.
As part of BiblioSmile’s Summer Book Challenge I chose it as a book I always meant to get around to.
I’m currently on page 1, if I actually skip the forewords and the ring-poem at the beginning. I’m impressed that this version really starts with page one after all the ones before that and not with a numbering according to the empty pages again.

2. What is the first sentence on your current page?

This book is largely concerned with Hobbits, and from its pages a reader may discover much of their character and a little of their history.

or in German from this edition:

Dieses Buch handelt zum großen Teil von Hobbits, und der Leser erfährt daraus viel über ihre Wesensart und ein wenig auch über ihre Geschichte.

3. What do you desperately need to tell about your current book? (Thoughts, Feelings, a Quote, whatever you want!)

For the longest time I meant to get around to read LotR, but never really felt like it, though I thought that if I read the books I would finally be able to understand the movies better. I’m curious how that’ll turn out.
Even though we have a German version at home – which is the weird translation where Sam refers to Frodo as Hey Boss – I chose the English version, as it was recommended to me and because of the fact that I managed to read the Song of Ice and Fire series so far without any understanding problems.

4. With whom (aside from the Internet) are you exchanging thoughts on your reading passion? Do you have like-minded people in your circle of friends or family?

I’ve got my passion for reading from my Mum, so when she finished a book I asked her what it was like, just like I tell her things about the books I’m about to read or currently reading.
Aside from her I can discuss books with pretty much every person I know. Recently mostly with Anice or Unmei, but I also had face-to-face discussion with the people from The Forum, the Black Pack and colleagues.
So, technically I don’t have a shortage of discussion partners.

Additional thoughts

Reading Together #14

I present to you my fourteenth instalment of Weltenwanderers and Schlunzenbüchers „Gemeinsam Lesen“ (Reading Together).

Each Tuesday one of them asks four questions, with the first three always being the same about the book one is currently reading and the fourth a new one by either of them. All questions below are obviously translated from today’s German post.

1. Which Book are you currently reading and which page are you on?

As I finished A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin last Friday I now am reading Die Seiten der Welt (The Pages of the World) by Kai Meyer.
I’m currently on page 233, which is about half way through.

2. What is the first sentence on your current page?

As the actual first sentence isn’t a complete sentence I’ll cheat and take the next one:

Furia hob die Spitze der Glasfeder.

or in English:

Furia raised the tip of the glass feather.

3. What do you desperately need to tell about your current book? (Thoughts, Feelings, a Quote, whatever you want!)

It’s been a while since I read a book that was originally written in German; namely Kinder des Judas was the last one in 2013. But I didn’t read that much the last few years, so the possibility that I read a German book wasn’t that high to begin with…
Anyway, I learned about this book through Weltenwanderer, I think, and it just sounded interesting. So I had to take it with me when I saw it on display in the library. (Though that time, a few weeks ago, I picked up 4 books and a comic even though I just wanted to renew the rental for one book…libraries are evil…just like comic book stores)
Anyway, for a Young Adults novel I really like it.
Though which Bibliophile wouldn’t like a book about people being capable of using the magic of words to do sorcery-like things (the aptly called Bibliomanten – Bibliomancer, I’d say, judging from the translation of Nekromant to Necromancer)? Especially if there are such things as living letters and Origami and most of all a cranky arm chair and a sassy reading lamp? 😀 Oh and you can jump from one place to the other through two books of the same edition! This destroys the book you used, but it’s still a great idea.
The world Meyer creates in this book is just so fascinating that you just want to continue to learn more about it. That there are also some murders, intrigues and dark secrets in it makes it even better. Though the characters themselves are quite superficially constructed. I don’t really have that much of a connection with the main character (I rarely do, but that’s beside the point), but I do think I can add a yet. There aren’t that many pages left, so I’m curious how the end of the book will be pulled off…

4. The 100th time „Gemeinsam Lesen“! Let us take a look back and tell us since when you participate, what you like about Reading Together, or do you have suggestions for improvement? Is there anything that you miss, that you would like to change? Or something you like most about it, that makes this project unique and perfect?

This is my fourteenth participation, so I’m still quite new to this, but I already can say that I am grateful that those two picked up the project from its original creator and continued it up till now – and hopefully many more weeks to come.
It is an incredible motivation to continue with a book, simply because you don’t want to present the same book each week over and over again.
It’s also a great way to keep track of your own thoughts or at least put your own thoughts together throughout the reading.
And you can rant about something within the book before you write the review afterwards. 😀
The fourth questions is always something you usually don’t think about that much (Like last weeks tomes or the dislikeable character from the week before that or the the perspective a book is written in).
So it’s always interesting to see what you’ll have to think about next.
Even though it’s a good way to learn about other Blogs and others‘ current reads, I do have to admit that I only browse through the other entries, as by now there are really a lot of participating Blogs.
So as a suggestion I think it would be nice if every participant had to add the name of the book they are reading in their comment on the current Question-Post, so the browsing becomes easier.
Last but not least: A huge thank you to Schlunzenbuecher and Weltenwanderer who keep this project going and to Asaviel for creating it in the first place!
Here’s to many more weeks spent Reading Together!

Additional thoughts

Don’t forget to check out my raffle for posting two hundred posts on this Blog!
You can obviously participate in these questions by either using my translated or the original German version.
PoiSonPaiNter
© For the cover, the quote and the banner belong to their rightful owners.

Reading Together #13

I present to you my thirteenth instalment of Weltenwanderers and Schlunzenbüchers „Gemeinsam Lesen“ (Reading Together).

Each Tuesday one of them asks four questions, with the first three always being the same about the book one is currently reading and the fourth a new one by either of them. All questions below are obviously translated from today’s German post.

1. Which Book are you currently reading and which page are you on?

I’m still reading A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin, though I haven’t managed to read as much as I would have liked last week.
I’m currently on page 508, which is not so far away from the end already.

2. What is the first sentence on your current page?

In this city of splendors, Dany had expected the House of the Undying Ones to be most splendid of all, but she emerged from her palanquin to behold a grey and ancient ruin.

or in German:

In dieser Stadt des Prunks hatte Dany erwartet, dass das Haus der Unsterblichen das Prunkvollste von allen war, aber als sie aus ihrer Sänfte hervortrat erblickte sie eine graue und uralte Ruine.

3. What do you desperately need to tell about your current book? (Thoughts, Feelings, a Quote, whatever you want!)

All these wannabe kings are even more idiotic than I had thought last week, but I have to admit that some of their ways to rid themselves of their enemies are quite interesting. Though I fear the battles will continue throughout the series…why could they not have listened to Catelyn? Though it is curious that she and Tyrion, who are so much at odds, are the only one’s striving for a peaceful solution amongst the masses of kings.
I also have to admit that I am currently a bit tired of Arya, some of her tales were interesting and I liked the twist that brought her into her current predicament and what happened with Jaqen H’ghar, but I kind of would like her to re-unite with Needle and move on. 😀
On the other hand her brother Bran‘s story gets more interesting and I really like the way his dreams are described. Just as I found it funny that I understood the meaning of the green dream shortly after it was told by Jojen (I currently also like the appendix and a Wiki for the spelling of names…).
While reading one of Catelyn chapters her brother Edmure made a quite interesting claim:

„They shall not cross“

I have no idea, what that reminded me off. 😀

4. Huge tomes (>500 pages) – do you like reading them or shy at them? And why?

I rarely look at the pages when I choose to read a book. Either I want to read it or I’m not interested.
As I mentioned before in some book reviews are 200 pages nothing for me and I consider it a short read. Most of my books have around 400-500 pages, which makes this an average read. In case of A Game of Thrones, my current book and Wolves of the Calla there are even more pages, though I don’t think I’d consider them tomes to begin with. If the content of the pages is interesting than it doesn’t matter how many there are. If it drags on I just want to finish like it was towards the end of the 939 pages of latter one. Which incidentally (according to Goodreads) also makes this the third-longest book I’ve ever read, with Wizard and Glass of the same series coming second (957 pages) and Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix on the first place with 1021 pages, though I don’t remember that I struggled with them as much as I did with the wolves…

Additional thoughts

Reading Together #12

I present to you another instalment of Weltenwanderers and Schlunzenbüchers „Gemeinsam Lesen“ (Reading Together).

Each Tuesday one of them asks four questions, with the first three always being the same about the book one is currently reading and the fourth a new one by either of them. All questions below are obviously translated from today’s German post.

1. Which Book are you currently reading and which page are you on?

Last Thursday I finally finished The Dark Tower: Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King (see these four for more information: #8, #9, #10 and #11). But before I started my current read I also finished part three of the Vampire Diaries series (Part 1, Part 2), just to have an easy read before I started into a new endeavour.
On Saturday I finally was able to pick up A Clash of Kings again, after I couldn’t help myself but reading the prologue after picking it up from the library.
I’m currently on page 318, which is nearly half way through.

2. What is the first sentence on your current page?

Meera moved in a wary circle, her net dangling loose in her left hand, the slender three-pronged frog spear poised in her right.

or in German:

Meera bewegte sich in einem wachsamen Kreis, ihr herabhängendes Netz hing lose in ihrer linken Hand, der schlanke, drei zackige Frosch Speer selbstsicher in ihrer Rechten.

3. What do you desperately need to tell about your current book? (Thoughts, Feelings, a Quote, whatever you want!)

Just like with A Game of Thrones is this one really captivating. Luckily there is no Advent Calendar this time to stop me from reading (Though there is a bit of writing I have to do for Your Picture – A Story and The Extremis Review).
New POV (Point of Views) were added and everyone is conspiring and plotting for their turn on the Iron – or any other – Throne.
I still don’t know what I should make of Tyrion as a character, but his schemes are brilliant and quite interesting to follow.
Davos (new) look into the planning of Stannis Baratheon, on the other hand, leaves me as bewildered as Theon’s does appal me in regards to the Greyjoy’s way of living. So much stupidity and arrogance is just beyond me. Sure, their tactics make sense as well, but the way they are pursuing them could be more, well, efficient I’d say. With all their plunder this, conquer that or do this to gain that, it looks very much like they’re wasting their resources. The Lannister’s aren’t better in this, with all the raids their bannerman enforce unto the land – especially if they are attacking neutral parties – I somehow doubt there will be many subjects left to rule when someone finally settles on either Throne for good. In my opinion it’s not really a clever way to ensure someone’s victory. Here I prefer the peace approach Catelyn Stark suggests to her son, though it seems that the majority of those on the receiving end of these offer are too stubborn and bloodthirsty to even consider a treaty and even the stags are more interested in bashing their heads together than teaming up against a common foe.
In short: A bunch of thick-headed royals are slaughtering their way to be allowed and acknowledged to sit on a fancy chair.
I’m not entirely sure why this is still so damn captivating…
Maybe it’s the way those plans are foiled or have turns and twists you don’t expect in the beginning.
Maybe it’s the writing style, that is easy to understand, even for a non-native speaker.
Maybe it’s just some kind of weird voyeurism that makes you want to see how imaginary people cope with certain situations.
Probably a bit of all of those.
And apart from all that there is Jarman/Jarmen Buckwell, where I’m curious how Martin came to name one of his characters like my hometown.

4. Is there a person in your current book that you don’t like at all? If so, why? And if you could tell that person anything, what would it be?

There are several in a way. Though mostly not because I don’t like them, but because I think they’re idiots. There is Sansa that still has to learn a lot to no longer be just a pretty bird. Then there are Theon, who is just an arrogant prat and Stannis, who doesn’t really listen to reason. And probably some more I can’t name right now.
What I would tell them if I could? Good question…
I probably wouldn’t say anything, but instead shake my head and role my eyes in annoyance/disapproval.
Imagining for a moment there wouldn’t be any consequences for giving them a piece of my mind, I guess I’d tell Sansa to get her head out of the clouds and be realistic; I’d probably slap or hit Theon and rant about his treatment of others, especially women – though it is satisfying to see how his sister Asha does a nice job of humiliating him 😀 – and I’m not entirely sure what I’d tell Stannis, but I guess it would be along the lines of questioning his sanity…

Additional thoughts

Reading Together #11

While I’m at home redecorating I present to you another instalment of Weltenwanderers and Schlunzenbüchers „Gemeinsam Lesen“ (Reading Together).

Each Tuesday one of them asks four questions, with the first three always being the same about the book one is currently reading and the fourth a new one by either of them. All questions below are obviously translated from today’s German post.

1. Which Book are you currently reading and which page are you on?

I’m still reading the book by my favourite author that I haven’t read yet for BiblioSmiles’s Summer Book Challenge: The Dark Tower: Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King. Which is the fifth part of the Dark Tower-saga.
I’m currently on page 790, which isn’t that far away from finally finishing the book.

2. What is the first sentence on your current page?

Tian Jaffords war in seinem Leben nie ängstlicher gewesen als jetzt, wo er auf der Bühne des Pavillons stand und auf die Folken von Calla Bryn Sturgis hinabsah.

or in English:

Tian Jaffords has never been as frightened in his life as now, as he stood on the stage of the pavilion and looked down onto the Folken of Calla Bryn Sturgis.

3. What do you desperately need to tell about your current book? (Thoughts, Feelings, a Quote, whatever you want!)

I’m nearly finished, but I didn’t manage to read these past few days and this is quite bugging me. As I had hoped last time, did the story pick up at last and I want to know how they will defeat the Wolves.
Eddie returned to New York, as did Callahan, they finally all know about Susannahs secret and the key players come more and more into focus.
The writing itself has now also become more like what I’m used by King and therefore is way easier to read.
Maybe later today I will finally be able to read a bit.

4. Do you like writing down quotes from books? Are you collecting them and do you maybe have favourite quote?

I don’t write down quotes.
Some stuff sticks with me (like quotes from Faust), other things don’t.
My most favourite quote from a book – that I also like using as a signature – is from George Orwell’s 1984:

“If liberty means anything at all,
it means the right to tell people
what they do not want to hear.”

I really like this quote and I try to live by it, as should many other people.

Additional thoughts

If you haven’t already checked it out there is my second story for Your Picture – A Story over at DF.PP Entertainment: Eisige Zutat (German)
You can obviously participate in these questions by either using my translated or the original German version.
PoiSonPaiNter
© For the cover, the quote and the banner belong to their rightful owners.

Reading Together #10

My Book-Week is over, but I still present to you another instalment of Weltenwanderers and Schlunzenbüchers „Gemeinsam Lesen“ (Reading Together).

Each Tuesday one of them asks four questions, with the first three always being the same about the book one is currently reading and the fourth a new one by either of them. All questions below are obviously translated from today’s German post.

1. Which Book are you currently reading and which page are you on?

I’m still reading the book by my favourite author that I haven’t read yet for BiblioSmiles’s Summer Book Challenge: The Dark Tower: Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King. Which is the fifth part of the Dark Tower-saga.
I’m currently on page 544, which isn’t far away from were I were last week.

2. What is the first sentence on your current page?

„Betten sind fertig“, sagte Rosalita Munoz, als sie zurückkamen.

or in English:

„Beds are ready“, said Rosalita Munoz when they returned.

3. What do you desperately need to tell about your current book? (Thoughts, Feelings, a Quote, whatever you want!)

The story is dragging a bit on, but slowly picking up, but I didn’t really have time to read last week, but I didn’t feel like doing it either. With A Game of Thrones I always had the book in the back of my mind and I just wanted to continue, but it’s not like that with this one. It’s more of a „I want to finish this chapter, because then I’m closer to the end of the book.„, which is a pity as I remember that I enjoyed the previous books.
The look into the background of Callahan was interesting in ways of world-building and I liked the idea and story of the Oriza, but it pushed the actual story storyline further away.
I spoilered myself a bit, that one of those things will play a role in the long run, but I do believe that both of them are important for the finale.
Which is still quite far away. My book version has more than 900 pages and I still have about 400 more to go, which feels quite long. The book is divided into prologue, epilogue and three main parts of story and I’m close to finishing the second main part. I won’t stop reading, but I do hope the story picks up a bit more and resolves some of the current plot threads along the way.

4. Besides reading, what is your biggest hobby?

This is a good question. I’m not even sure if I would count reading as one of my biggest hobbies. Yes, I really like reading and can find myself deeply engrossed in a book, but there are times, were I don’t even want to pick up a book.
As far as things go that I like doing instead of reading I do believe that watching Series and Movies, as well be attending Festivals and Concerts or Travelling would fill this category as well. Though I have no idea which one I would put ahead of which. I enjoy doing all of them and I don’t really want to choose.

Additional thoughts

If you haven’t already checked it out there is my first story for Your Picture – A Story over at DF.PP Entertainment: Der Ruf des Meeres (The Call of the Sea)
You can obviously participate in these questions by either using my translated or the original German version.
PoiSonPaiNter
© For the cover, the quote and the banner belong to their rightful owners.