Books: Mistborn Trilogy

I don't read books as much as I used to. Perhaps tat's a function of being in school and reading for class. Summer provides a welcome relief from textbooks and research articles. This summer in particular has been good for delving into the pages of a new story. Earlier this summer I wrote about Percy Jackson and Greek Mythology. However, the most satisfying read for me had been the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. The books individually are Mistborn, The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages. Each book is riveting. Sanderson weaves a beautifully complicated tale of love, trust, faith and magic, of which he introduces three unique new systems.

Similar to other fairly recent fantasy books I've had the time to read there is a dark feel to the books. The heroes must overcome insurmountable odds in their quest. Of course the basic principle that the main characters are reaching for is hope in a hopeless situation. Perhaps that is a common theme in our world today and these authors are just trying to buoy up their audience.

The story begins with Kelsier, the first hero, pulling together the elite of the Final Empire's underground. Along with these talented characters Kelsier finds Vin, a young street urchin with the as yet unknown potential of a hero. Vin is a mistborn, one who can "burn" certain metals and their alloys to perform certain magically abilities. This is called allomancy. Sanderson, in the other this books introduces furochemy and hemalurgy but explains them in more detail in the next two books. These new magics systems show Sanderson's creative genius and tie in perfectly with how the story unfolds and finally concludes.

To sum up the first book and perhaps entice you to read them, Kelsier, Vin and the crew plot to overthrow the Final Empire and the Lord Ruler, a feat that has been attempted but never completed over the last 1000+ years. Along their journey they teach each other about the power of trust and love. We see how Vin, Kelsier, and the other main characters are able to do what they need to by drawing on the power of these traits. In the end we learn why faith is so important as well.

I would say more but that would give away the story. Let's just say that I stayed up late a couple of nights because I had to finish the books. At 3:00 am on a Saturday morning I finished The Hero of Ages and thought, "That was the most incredible finish to a book/trilogy I think I've ever read." Sanderson pulls in pieces small details from each book that were seemingly unimportant and threads them together with the increasingly tense story line and leaves you with a complete conclusive tapestry. He more than resolves the story, he creates a new beginning that leaves you breathless. I loved these books and would recommend them to anybody who likes fantasy books.

Book: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

After getting back from Finland and Russia I didn’t have much to do. I work for BYU and they didn’t schedule me till Summer term, which was two weeks after I got back. Ergo, I had a lot of time on my hands. I don’t generally read for pleasure during the school year because I’m constantly reading for my other classes so I took the opportunity to read the first Percy Jackson book by Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief. 
Let me preface by saying that I have always been fascinated by Greek/Roman mythology. I would even say any kind of mythology or theism interested me. I’ve learned a little of the Asgardian mythology and the Egyptian theism as well. However, I’ve always had an affinity for the Greek mythology and it’s effects are very prevalent in our society. References are all around us. We might hear a phrase like “By Jove, I think she’s got it!” or hear of a substance called an aphrodisiac, we call a self-absorbed person narcissistic and person’s weakness is their Achilles heel. You get the idea. I’ve enjoyed learning the stories of where all these things come from and the Percy Jackson books do a good job of telling these stories in a fun way.
I’m not going to go through the story of the Lightning Thief or the four other books, which I read in a week. Let me just say they were very entertaining books would that I highly recommend. What I think I most enjoyed about these books was the manner in which the author mixed the modern world with the world of the Greek Pantheon and their influence. Monsters were archetypes and resurface after a certain amount of time, therefore beasts like the minotaur came back again and again. There was also a mist that obscured the eyes of normal mortals so they couldn’t see the “truth” of the Greek monsters and gods as they mingled in our world. I found it amusing that the gods hadn’t really changed in 3000 years. They still fell in love with mortals, messed with their lives and believed that they were acting for humans’ benefit. In the end of the books the gods had to learn a lesson from humans, an interesting twist.
I very much enjoyed the books and again I recommend them to anyone looking for an interesting and instructional read. These books rekindled my interest in Greek mythology and may spark an interest in you!

More: Thursday Nights

In my second post I mentioned that I am a nerd and used to role-play and such. Well, if you saw what I did on Thursday nights you might think that I’m even more crazy. Well, here’s your chance. The local newspaper decided to show up a couple of Thursdays and take some shots. Here is a link to the story: http://heraldextra.com/news/local/article_1eb93ed7-7b91-5c52-90f0-64933e6e540c.html. I’ve been doing it for a long time but left for 5 years or so while I went to Brazil on a mission then got married. But now I’ve been going back most Thursdays for some good  exercise and a chance to let my nerdy side out. It’s lots of fun most days and I always come home wiped out. Good stuff! If you’re more interested in the group or are thinking, “What in the world is he actually doing?” The link for the combat society is this: http://www.belegarth.com. Check it out!
P.S. I’m in the first and second pictures. This first one is better – I’m totally dominating.

Book: The Two Swords

As a teenager I participated in what many people would think the nerdiest of nerdy activities. I role-played. Not like what you’d find at a sales training course or in drama class. No, this was the parent-feared Dungeons and Dragons style of role-playing (frightened gasps). I enjoyed it. When I was role-playing I was with my friends having a good time. It was also a whole lot safer than trying to get to know girls as well as a better way to use my imagination than coming up with the newest prank or crazy stunt.
Since that time I’ve started to expand my interests and try new things. However, I haven’t stopped enjoying fantasy books. From the Dungeons and Dragons multiverse I was introduced to the world of Forgotten Realms, a place full of magic, wonder and adventure. Forgotten Realms is also a world that many authors have used as the setting for their books. A friend recommended to me to a series of books written about a character that many fantasy readers know and love: Drizzt Do’Urden. Drizzt is a good hearted warrior whose unfortunate ancestry is drow elf, a race known for its choatic cruelty and merciless mannerisms. He leaves his deep underground home to escape his heritage and wanders a land full of prejudice and danger. Many are the books that describe his journeys, The Two Swords being the last of them. Throughout the books we get a look into what I imagine is Drizzt’s journal or personal musings. I think that perhaps these musings are why I like these books so much.
In The Two Swords Drizzt is basically on his own fighting behind enemy lines to help in whatever way he can to support his friends who are under siege from a huge army of orcs. During one of the interludes or musings Drizzt discusses Guilt and Responsibility.

Guilt.
Is is the easiest of feelings to conjure and the most insidious. It is rooted in the selfishness of individuality, though for goodly folks, it usually finds its source in the suffering of others.
What I understand now, as never before, is that guilt is not the driving force behind responsibility. If we act in a goodly way because we are afraid of how we will feel if we do not, then we have not truly come to separate the concept of right and wrong. For there is a level above that, an understanding of community, friendship, and loyalty. I do not choose to stand beside Breunor or any other friend to alleviate guilt. I do so because in that, and in their reciprocal friendship, we are both the stronger and the better. Our lives become worth so much more.

How great is that? Here I am reading a book that has a fun story and great action and I get a profound tidbit that I can use to make my life better. And what I believe R. A. Salvatore, the author, is trying to say is that to really understand right and wrong and appropriate behavior we have to get past our own selfishness. We must rise to a level that transcends independence and move towards interdependence. We see this fact in our everyday lives. Families, commerce, nations – these all need strong communities to survive. If that community does not survive then neither do we. Now even if guilt isn’t the driving force behind responsibility it is a good start, only if it is just that, a start.  How can we move from guilt to the “understanding of community, friendship, and loyalty?” I’ll leave that up to you to figure out. I just hope that we all figure it out because our world needs it.
Drizzt and his companions eventually win the day and all ends well. And, just like the rest of the Drizzt stories, I closed the book and excited to read more. Rumor has it that there will be. During an interview the author he said he had something in the works (http://www.rasalvatore.com/podcasts.aspx?selection=0). If I peaked your interest and you like fantasy books I highly recommend any of R. A. Salvatore’s books. I haven’t read all of them but those I have are well written and very entertaining. There you have it folks: R. A. Salvatore’s book The Two Swords.