Catching Up On 2014 Reviews

Hi everybody and congratulations on the New Year! :) I hope your holiday season was as fun as mine and you had a good rest and quality family time!

Today I've come back from my trip to Sofia to see a very good friend and fellow fantasy geek. It was awesome! We cooked, made cocktails, discussed everything in the world and binge-watched the director's cut of LOTR. What can be better? :)

Yes, there's Balrog on the screen :)

Now I finally have some time to wrap up year 2014, and I'll start with mini-reviews of the rest of the books I managed to read in the end of the year. Then I'll probably try to catch up on over-500 posts in my RSS feed... Oh well, maybe not :)

Title: Amsterdam
Author: Ian McEwan
First published: 1998
Add it: Goodreads, Book Depository
Rating: ★★★★☆

I started to read Amsterdam on my way to Amsterdam, but didn't finish it until a week after the trip. And it's OK, because it's not about the city at all :) I have always been curious about Ian McEwan, and I can say I've enjoyed his writing a lot. He is a great psychologist, and his descriptions of thoughts and feelings of the two main characters felt so real it was hard to believe it's only fiction. But as if to mock a reader who by this point already trusts McEwan as a great expert in human nature, there is such an unbelievable twist in the end of the novel that it left me embarrassed.  

In my book:
Great writing and character study.

Title: The Way of Kings
Author: Brandon Sanderson
First published: 2010
Add it: Goodreads, Book Depository
Rating: ★★★★☆

For the first 100-200 pages of this huge novel, which is part of even huger series, I had no idea what was happening and wanted to stop reading. I survived, though, and it appeared it was worth the time and struggle, as by the end of the book I was quite unable to put it down. The greatest thing about the book is the world-building. There's a totally different biology, physics and social structure, and it's all very fitting and works well together... but not before you really get into it. And this doesn't happen very soon. Strictly speaking, it wouldn't hurt if the book was shorter, but as I've said, in the end I came to appreciate it anyway :)

In my book:
Worth the time, but make sure you have a lot of it at hand before starting this mammoth :))

Title: High Fidelity
Author: Nick Hornby
First published: 1995
Add it: Goodreads, Book Depository
Rating: ★★★★☆

The intro, where the main character recaps his past heartbreaks is awesome! I've even read it twice. Then, however, some music records nerdiness starts (as the narrator is a fan and owns a record shop), which I can't appreciate due to my utter lack of knowledge or interest on the subject. Overall, the writing is great, and at times the novel is very funny, but when you think of it, the main character is really very sad and unlikable, and the ending is kinda... meh.

In my book:
Fun and entertaining, but makes you think nevertheless. Just skip the music parts :)

Title: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Author: Alan Bradley
First published: 2009
Add it: Goodreads, Book Depository
Rating: ★★★☆☆

I think I might have loved this book if I read it at the age of 12 or so (I loved children's detective novels!), but for a grown-up there's not enough of mystery or character depth or humor. It's a sweet little novel, and the main heroine is pretty bad-ass, but it's not very gripping overall.

In my book:
Pick up for a total brain relax or as a present to your kid.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (Review)

Title: The Graveyard Book
Author: Neil Gaiman
First published: 2007
Add it: Goodreads, Book Depository
Rating: ★★★☆☆

This short novel tells a story of a boy growing up on a cemetery after the murder of his parents. He is brought up by ghosts and has adopted some of their ways, but he still craves for a company of the living kids. However, it is not safe for him to leave the cemetery, as the murderer is still out there.

Gaiman's supernatural stuff is still not my cup of tea. Although the ghosts were cute and Silas mysterious and impressive, the Jacks were weird and vague. I also didn't dig ghouls and the gate and everything inside. But Gaiman CAN write kids, there's no doubt of that. Bod's thoughts and feelings are so real! This feeling of not being told anything, however capable of understanding you think yourself... It's familiar to everybody who remembers being a kid, I guess. Learning responsibility is also a major aspect of Bod's growing up, which is indeed very important.

Plot-wise the book seems to be for children, but there are certain graphic scenes of bloodshed that hint that the target audience is grown-ups. It's a bit confusing, but not new for me, as it's the same with Stardust.

In my book:
More suitable for kids which are not afraid of a bit of killing :)

Hoši od Bobří řeky by Jaroslav Foglar (Review)

Title: Hoši od Bobří řeky (Boys from Beaver River)
Author: Jaroslav Foglar
First published: 1958
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Rating: ★★☆☆☆

It's a shame, really, but I've finished only one book for my own Language Freak challenge, and I had been planning on finishing at least four! Well, life happens. This only book is in Czech, and it was far from enjoyable. I finished it only because I had borrowed it from a friend (more than a year ago!) who told me it was his favourite book when he was a boy. I can't see how this book can be somebody's favourite, but at least now I can give it back with clean conscience.

The book is essentially a propaganda of the "soviet pioneer" ideals. For those of you not familiar with the movement, they are somewhat like scouts. So there is this young man who apparently has no job and nothing else to do except to entertain and brainwash boys. He takes them on a short trip to the forest and tells them some weird story about a frontier guy who was very sporty and cool, lived in a forest, was friendly with Indians and then died. And the guys become eager to be more like him, to which end they spend all summer camping in the nature trying to pass this man's tests of their strength, knowledge, good behaviour, courage, etc. The book even has specifications for these tests in the end of each chapter, so that the reader can do them himself.

Brainwashing is very strong in this book, and you know I can't stand it. So I was eye-rolling most of the time. I can't see why the author couldn't be more subtle with introducing his agenda. Moreover, I may be too spoiled by the modern world, but this leader of the group is a weirdo. Why is he doing all this? Who pays him? Where does he get money? How come he settles up a sect, and none of the parents are worried? How can they let their children go off for the whole summer to live with this man? I would soooo not trust him with my child!! Another problem of the book is an utter absence of girls. They are not mentioned ONCE! Not in school, not in the streets, the boys don't even think of them. It's as if no girls exist at all. First, is it even possible or healthy? Second, why can't girls also participate in all the "adventures" and try to become sportier, cleverer, etc.? Discrimination!

In my book:
I know I picked it up only to practice my Czech, but I'd prefer it to me more literature than propaganda.

P.S. I'll probably add a review in Czech here some time soon, but I'll need to first check it with my Czech teacher :)

Long-(over)due Mini-reviews

Title: Watership Down
Author: Richard Adams
First published: 1972
Add it: Goodreads, The Book Depository
Rating: ★★★☆☆

I've heard so many great things about this book, that I was more than a bit disappointed with it. It just didn't grip me. Adams can write adventure all right, but I didn't get why it had to be rabbits? They behave exactly like people anyway, so what's the point? For me it didn't work, as I couldn't care much for just a pack of rabbits, however well-elaborated their characters might be. I know, I'm a monster :) But I've hated tear-inducing books about "poor animals" since my childhood :) The rabbit language was also not very well-developed or necessary. What I did like was the rabbit mythology. The parts when they tell stories were my favorite!

The biggest problem of the book is the lack of any female characters. The whole plot is about "getting some does", but even when they appear, they don't play any role at all and are very passive. OK, OK, maybe it's supposed to be so with the rabbits, but they behave like humans, so it still irritates me. Also, all the philosophy is just... meh!

In my book: Maybe more suitable for children than adults. Or for much less cynical than me adult animal lovers :)

Title: The Warden
Author: Anthony Trollope
First published: 1855
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Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I read it for Chronicles of Barsetshire Readalong, and it was due in March, but I couldn't finish it until May, although it's a fairly thin book. What can I say? It was just so dull! I didn't care a twopence about moral dilemmas of a countryside priest and all the ecclesiastical politics around it. Trollope is really witty in some small scenes, for example his commentary on family life made me giggle a couple of times, but the plot is just so long-drawn and anti-climactic, that most of the time I used the book to fall asleep fast.

In my book: A classic soporific.

Title: The Republic of Thieves
Author: Scott Lynch
First published: 2013
Add it: Goodreads, The Book Depository
Rating: ★★★★☆

I picked this book out of despair - no story could hold my attention this horrible May, and I thought if this one couldn't, I was doomed. Well, Lynch haven't disappointed me: I was involved in the book, as much as it was possible at the time. However, I do think it had some problems. First, both plots (there's a flashback, as usual) are far from being original. Election and theater, really? They DO work, because both are amazing sources of plot devices, but I kinda thought Lynch was above it... Also, I didn't get the whole thing about the bondsmagi, including the last cataclysm and Locke's "secret". WTF????

I was most excited to finally see Sabetha, but I was a bit disappointed here too. No, she IS every inch as cool as I've imagined her, but her and Locke's relationship is so fucked up it becomes tiresome. Also, I'm glad there are always enough of great female characters in the series, but her "female in a male world" problems are a bit exaggerated here, I think.

In my book: Still great, but a bit less amazing and a bit darker than the previous books.

Four Mini Reviews

As you have probably noticed I have close to zero time lately. I still manage to read, but posting and sleeping are not so lucky :) So I've decided to do as everybody seem do in such case: write mini-reviews! They are small books anyway :)

Title: Harry Potter y el Prisionero de Azkaban
Author: J.K. Rowling
First published: 1999
Add it: Goodreads, Book Depository
Rating: ★★★★★

Yes, this one was in Spanish! We read it together with Hillary from ahorseandacarrot and it was fun! Books in foreign languages are perfect for read-a-longs. Without being accountable I just kept putting it off to read something more relaxing, but with our read-a-long I swished through it in less than two months at a pace of one chapter in three days. Wonderful! I'm a bit afraid to tackle the fourth book yet though. It's bigger and more "adult" and the chapters are longer... Well, maybe in summer, when I have more time :) Also, I'll announce the second Language Freak Summer Challenge next month, so I hope it'll give me a push :)

Title: The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
Author: Neil Gaiman
First published: 1988
Add it: Goodreads, Book Depository
Rating: ★★★★★

It was the first comic book I've ever read! Can you believe it? After the disappointment of Gaiman's American Gods and because of my inner snobbishness (comic books? They are for children!) I wasn't expecting much of it, but guess what? It was amazing! Dark and creepy sometimes, but totally amazing! I loved the art and how the story is told in short snippets, and how the parts of the puzzle fit together as you read and you get to know more about the awesome, awesome, awesome Morpheus. I love Morpheus. That's all there is to know about my feelings towards Sandman :)

Title: Yvain, or The Knight With the Lion
Author: Chrétien de Troyes
First published: 1176
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Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Unlike Erec and Enide and Cligès, I didn't enjoy Yvain at all, and so I don't have much to say about it. The plot devices never looked so artificial in Chrétien's works as here (pour water on stone to summon a horrible knight? Really?) and the main character never was such an asshole. Yvain leaves the love of his life a couple of days after the marriage and promises to come in a year... and OF COURSE he just forgets about it at all and therefore has to go seek some adventures instead of asking for forgiveness... I will not even go into his treatment of the lion. The lion is the only decent character in the story, really.

Title: The Train (orig. Sputniki)
Author: Vera Panova
First published: 1946
Add it: Goodreads
Rating: ★★★★★

My mom has recommended me this classical Russian war novel, and as usual, her recommendation was brilliant! This short book tells a story of a hospital train during the horrible years of WWII, from its first bombing until the last war spring. Very different people work on this train - doctors, nurses, war officers, engineers... Each one has his/her own story, his/her own dreams and fears, but they all must live together and work endless shifts to make the passage of the patients from the front to the hospitals more comfortable. There's everything in this book: tragedy, loss, love, friendship, true selflessness and cunning self-advancement... Because people are different, and war makes these differences even more obvious.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman (Review)

Title: The Princess Bride
Author: William Goldman
First published: 1973
Add it: Goodreads, The Book Depository
Rating: ★★★★★

Another choice for Coursera Fantasy and Sci Fi book club has quite unexpectedly become a huge success with me. It's rather surprising, because really, if you read the premise it sounds like a typical Disney story. Don't let it mislead you! Even though “Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles.” are all present, as promised, it's also very, very funny.

The book is subtitled as "S. Morgenstern's classic tale of true love and high adventure. The "good parts" version abridged  by William Goldman", and it starts with an introduction in which the fictionalized Goldman explains how he came to love this book and why it needs abridging. The problem with the "original Morgenstern" is that he was writing a satire, and some satirical parts are better left out if the reader is not particularly interested in Florinese history and politics. So Goldman is doing what his father was doing when he read his son from the book - skipping the boring stuff. He actually substitutes it with his own commentary, justifying his omissions and commenting on their content. Sometimes the commentary also tells the reader about Goldman's experience when he was first read the book by his father. So, this way, with the additional awesomeness of Morgenstern's and Goldman's commentary, the story is told.

And the story itself is rather potent: not only does it have all the elements of a great narrative (fencing and true love, dudes!), it is also very ironic, with some twists of the plot rather unthinkable and some purely ridiculous. Yet, all of them pertaining to the style.

With all this complexity, the story holds together surprisingly well and is read in one breath. It took me only two nights, and that with all the impending exams. That says something about it!

In my book:
A great story: engaging, humorous, comforting. An unusual format adds to the appeal and doesn't distract :)

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (Review)

Title: Inkheart
Author: Cornelia Funke
First published: 2003
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Rating: ★★★★★

This year's German Literature Month is focusing on female writers, and when I started to think what books to choose, Funke was the only German female writer that came to my mind. The only one! I shamed myself and consulted the Internet, but even after that Inkheart remained the most alluring choice. Well, what can I say, I'm in a really escapist mood right now :) I'm craving something magic and beautiful, and this novel is THE BEST for this!

There is every component of a great children's book in Inkheart: a bunch of scary bad guys, a brave little girl as a protagonist, a really cool dad with a mysterious past, beautiful mountainous settings, chases, fights, magic, and a cute little marten with horns! What makes Inkheart special though, is that it's all about books, about different worlds inside them that are so real they can come to life, about the comfort reading brings in difficult situations and about all the cool books out there that wait to be read. References to some of my own childhood favourites, such as Treasure Island or Pippi Longstocking made me smile more than once.

In my book:
That's a perfect children's book, and it'll make you feel like a child in a wonderland :)

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz versus The Wizard of the Emerald City

Our Coursera Fantasy and Sci Fi book club is discussing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz this week, and this was a wonderful excuse for me to finally read the book. Yes, yes, I have never read it before, but that doesn't mean I'm unfamiliar with the story. There is a wonderful retelling called The Wizard of the Emerald City by Volkov, which was one of the most favourite books of my childhood. I've already talked about it when I made a list of Russian classic children's literature, and now I want to make a list of differences between the two books, which I collected while reading. It was fun!

So, here are the ways in which The Wizard of the Emerald City differs from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz:

• The girl's name is Ellie instead of Dorothy
• No witch's feet visible, Toto just finds the shoes and brings them to Ellie
• Toto speaks!
• No magic kiss on Ellie's forehead, the shoes make her untouchable.
• No difference in the prosperity of different munchkins.
• There is a pretty intense encounter with an ogre in the forest. It is before meeting the lion, if I remember correctly.
• There are sabre-toothed tigers instead of Kalidahs.
• I'm pretty sure the tin woodman didn't cut a cat's head off to save the Mice Queen. Ellie just saves her from Toto's barking instead.
• There are no fighting trees or china town. I also have vague remembrance that the fight with the spider is scarier.
• Instead of telescopic neck the fighting guys are just very good jumpers. Less creepy.
• Different colour and name design of the world. The witches all have names, which, I think is much better than a reference to their geographical location.

I have also got an impression that Volkov writes better than Baum, whose writing is too plain and repetitive to my taste. But maybe I'm just too grown-up now to enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed it when I was a kid :) But anyway, in my book Volkov undoubtedly wins!

Speaking of sequels, Volkov has 4 totally amazing ones and the last one that I don't like, and all of them are have nothing to do with Baum's stories. I remember taking some Oz book about a pumpking-head guy in the library, and it totally crept me out, so that I could not finish it. That's why I'm not sure I want to read more Oz books, but you know I love to be made change my mind, so I ask you: are there some amazing books in Oz series that you would recommend?

I'll finish the comparison with the two most famous maps of the two magic countries, because I love maps! Do you still have doubts which is better? :)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Review)

Title: To Kill a Mockingbird
Author: Harper Lee
First published: 1960
Add it: Goodreads, The Book Depository
Rating: ★★★★★

I first read To Kill a Mockingbird when I was a little more than 10 years old, and I didn't like it. I have no idea now why it was so, but I suspect that I either didn't know much about the situation with African Americans in USA at that time or the translation was not very good. I don't know if I would have picked up the book again if not for To Kill a Mockingbird read-along hosted by Adam at Roof Beam Reader, and I'm very glad I did, because this time I enjoyed it immensely!

The novel tells the story of a jail case involving a Negro Tom Robinson in a small rural country of Maycomb in the South of US in the 30th. At that time there was no justice towards the blacks: even though the case was very plain and there was all the evidence that Tom hasn't raped Mayella, the girl in question, he is still found guilty by the jury. The story is told from the point of view of Scout Finch, daughter of Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer appointed to defend Tom and considers it his duty towards his children and conscience to do his best in the case. Most of the citizens, though, don't like that Atticus is a "nigger-lover" and try to abuse him and his children because of this. This trial is a heartbreaking experience for Scout and her brother, not only because they acutely feel the injustice of the outcome and helplessness of their father, but also because Mayella's father attacks them with a knife some time after the jail.

Scout's perspective is one of the things that makes this book so amazing. All the children's games, school experiences, joys and sorrows are captured most beautifully. Unlike grown-up citizens of Maycomb, children in the book are not so hardened racists, and choosing to tell the story from their point of view gives some hope that the situation will become better when they grow up, and this early experience will help them be to become better people. This is essentially a coming-of-age story, and a very powerful one.

It may seem that the book is very moralistic, but it is not so. There is a message in the novel, and a very clear one, but it is not obtrusive. And there is so much more to the book that ideology! The writing is lively and witty, the characters are well-developed, and the row of events is so gripping it is sometimes impossible to put the book down. While I was reading the jail scenes I missed the supermarket's closing time and had to order food not to stay hungry all the evening :)

In my book:
There is a reason why To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic, and a very widely known one, and the reason is that it is amazing! From my own experience, the book is better appreciated if you read it as an adult rather than a child, but maybe it's just me. Now it's one of my favourites!

Aesop's Fables

Title: Aesop's Fables
Author: Aesop
First published: 560 BC
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I'm sure this book doesn't need any introduction: the fables are so well-known that sometimes we even don't realize we use some phrase or epithet because of the genius of Aesop who first came with the idea of describing human nature through shortish moralistic stories.

I was well acquainted with the fables too, but mostly through Krylov's adaptations. He took some of the most famous of Aesop's plots and translated them to Russian in verse. Apart from that, he also chose not to write explicit morals in the end of each fable, and that sometimes changed their meaning completely. So for me reading Aesop was more like a comparative investigation than just reading.

I must confess some of the morals were unexpected in the least, and sometimes even annoying. I guess this is because so much time has elapsed between modern times and the time they were written. It is especially true concerning the fables dealing with celestial intervention. But then, some of the morals hit the nail into the head, and I laughed a lot at some situations, because they sooo reminded me of someone.. :)

I guess this is a book that can be enjoyable for readers of all ages and all cultures, as it is amazing in its simplicity and at the same time intricacy. That's why there have been so many translations and adaptations of the fables through ages. Now I want to buy a big beautiful book of Aesop's fables that will decorate the shelves and provide distraction in times of boredom.

Harry Potter y la cámara secreta en español!

Esto es mi primera reseña de libro en español, por eso pidio disculpas por mis errores :)

He elegido leer Harry Potter en español porque es un libro ligero a bien conocido para mi, y nesesito algo ligero y conocido para practicar español, que he empezado a olvidar.

No puedo decir que Harry Potter y la cámara secreta es mi libro preferido de todos los series. Es un poco triste, porque es el primer libro, en que Harry sintio el cruel opinion publico - todos piensan, que el es un heredero de Slytherin, el patrono de basilisk y el asesino. Tambien existe injusticia a Hagrid: esta trasladado a cárcel por lo que no habia hecho. Pero me gusta el basilisk, la idea de la camara secreta y el diario que puede vivil a si mismo!

He leido este libro en ruso y en ingles, pero en español esa historia tenia mucho mas encanto. Me gusta el traduccion de los encantos y pociones (el pocion "multijugos", por ejemplo), y "el cumpleaños de muerte" es simplemente perfecto!


So... that's it! Took me a lot of time to write, but it was nice to remember something. I bet there are millions of mistakes there, and I'd appreciate it if you point them to me in case your knowledge of Spanish is better than mine :)

This review is a part of my Language Freak Summer Challenge:

The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame

The Reluctant Dragon is a classic English children's book, which, they say, was the first to picture a "nice" dragon. Really, why do we always think dragons are bad and that they must be killed? You cannot find two people with identical character, so dragons are very different too =)

The dragon in question has never been a good fighter, and then some catastrophe happened and he found himself blocked underground, where he started to write poetry and generally was quite happy because nobody made him do anything. I'm very much like this dragon, in fact: could please nobody bother me and organize everything for me? I can be polite as a change =)

When the dragon finally comes out and tries to settle, he makes friends with a boy and they spend a very pleasant time together until people around find out and start being uneasy about having a dragon around. They even invited a hero (now, can you guess his name?=)) to deal with the dragon, and the boy has to settle everything and not be late for home. And of course he manages, because he reads a lot!

It's a very pleasant read, and I found myself laughing out loud during some dialogues between the dragon, the boy and the hero. There's a lot of mild irony, and plenty of clever observations about people's character. I'll definitely be reading something else by Grahame, as this is pure joy.

P.S. The book was found thanks to the wonderful Classic Children’s Literature Challenge event in this list, compiled by Amanda @ Simpler Pastimes. Thanks, Amanda!

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Today Caroline at Beauty is a Sleeping Cat is hosting a readalong of A Christmas Carol, and everybody is asked to answer the following questions:

Is this the first time you are reading the story?
Yes. I've seen some adaptation many years ago, but I remembered only the main idea.

Did you like it?
It is well written (it's Dickens!), so I quite enjoyed the language. I also liked the descriptions of the Christmas mood in the city. However, there is too much moral there to my taste.

Which was your favorite scene?
I'd say that the one I liked most was when all the Scrooge's favorite book characters appeared. For me too books were very real in my childhood, so I quite understand why these characters are an important part of his memories.

Which was your least favorite scene?
The scene with the charity collectors. They ask Scrooge for money for the poor, and he tells them it's none of his business. To tell you the truth, that's exactly my position in this question. I pay taxes, so why should I give even more money to the poor? But in the book it was put as a very mean point of view, and I felt a bit uncomfortable about it. Although it didn't make me change my mind, of course. Everybody in the modern world should mind his own business - government takes care of the poor, and we give government money for it. I wish it worked!

Which spirit and his stories did you find the most interesting?
The spirit of the Christmas Past, of course! His light and its extinguishing make a good metaphor.

Was there a character you wish you knew more about?
I wish I knew more about Scrooge's ex-love. She seems an interesting and strong woman and would make a good heroine!

How did you like the end?
It's Christmasy and nice.

Did you think it was believable?
I find it hard to believe Scrooge changed so fast. Even when travelling with the second ghost he understood it was for his own good. Not very stubbornly, eh?

Do you know anyone like Scrooge?
Well, not really. Of course there are people who share a trait or two with him, but I can't say I know them well. But... he is not supposed to be real, it's a fairy tale anyway.

Did he deserve to be saved?
Everybody deserves a chance to be saved. And he was really eager to change after the "three-ghost show", so he is a good choice for being saved =)

Merry Christmas to everybody!

Rereading The Hobbit

I've decided to reread "The Hobbit" and I am anticipating the pleasure of it. 

I have a long story with this book. I first read it when I was a child and I totally didn't like it. Maybe it was just a bad translation  but I remember my irritation at stupid verses and phrases, the meaning of which I couldn't understand. Then in my teens there came together with the first good widely-available translation a fashion for "The Lord of the Rings". My best friend gave me a book, which I read in 4 days, and then immediately reread. That translation is still my favourite (I can even remember some lyrics), although I have seen 3 or 4 more of them, but they either have a very simple language, or the verses are poor, and in one of them the names were translated, can you imagine it?? There is a "bag" in "Baggins", but I surely don't want to see a name, derivated from the Russian word meaning "bag" in my book!

So, I became a fan, but I took "The Hobbit" again only several years later, after I had already read "The Lord of the Rings" several (~14) times and after I had read all the other Tolkien's works, both about the Middle-Earth and others. By that time I have, of course, being reading them all in the original and enjoyed it immensely. Then I thought that "The Hobbit" could't possibly be as bad as I remembered if all the other works of the same author were just perfect. And I started to read it again, a bit afraid of being disappointed. But I wasn't. I enjoyed the puns, the language, and especially the lyrics, so linguistically fit to the whole surroundings. I wanted to find the edition I disliked so much in my childhood to see if it really was the translation or my age, but I couldn't, because it was taken from the library. And so be it.

Why do I want to reread it now? There are two reasons, one good and one bad, as news usually are. Let's begin with the good one, as I always do.

1) The film is coming! I'm really looking forward to it, especially now that I have watched the video diaries of the shooting process. I bet you can find them on YouTube (here is the first one, and if you are hooked you can easily find the rest of them, there are 7 or 8 episodes) and they are really worth watching not only to the fans. I find it very interesting to see how the scenery is done, how they shoot Gollum scenes and how they make the gnomes look so nice. I actually believe that Peter Jackson can't spoil it, as I really liked his "Lord of the Rings". Yes, they've cut the ending and Tom Bombadil, but for a Hollywood movie the plot was very well preserved. The cast was also good (with some exceptions, yes, but enough has been said about the poor elves) and the scenery is completely fascinating! So I'm looking forward to more New Zealand! And the dragon, of course!

2) The second reason is a pact I made with my back, according to which it tries not to give me so much trouble, and I don't sit hours at lectures (and do not worry about it!), eat some healthy stuff instead of painkillers, lie down and generally relax for the whole week. And what can be better for relaxation than "There and Back Again"? See you!