I definitely enjoy the podcasts that we get to listen to
because to be quite honest it’s helpful to just have to auditorily listen to
something while still being able to do other things and our time is sometimes
restricted according to everyone’s major. It was quite a refreshing comical
relief kind of podcast following the adventures of hapless Englishman Arthur Dent and his friend Ford Prefect, an alien who writes for the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, a
pan-galactic encyclopedia in comparison to some of the other novels that we’ve
read that have deeper concepts that leave you thinking way long after the story
has ended. After Earth is destroyed in
the first episode, Arthur and Ford find themselves aboard a stolen spaceship
commandeered by a motley crew including Zaphod Breeblelox the depressed robot Marvin and Trillian, the only other human survivor of Earth's
destruction. I really enjoyed the theme tune used in it so I looked it up and
found out that it is "Journey of the Sorcerer", an instrumental piece that was composed by Bernie Leadon and recorded by The Eagles on their album One of these nights. Adams chose this song
because of its futuristic-sounding nature, but also for the fact that it had a banjo in it which as Geoffrey Perkins recalls Adams said would give it an "on
the road, hitch-hiking feel". Overall I like the style of this genre it’s
a lighter load kind of feeling.
Alessandra Rodriguez - Lit Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
week 1 - Frankenstein
Frankenstein Mary Shelley
Frankenstein is a classic. I remember reading it in high school.
After reading it again got a different perspective on it. The main storyline
talked about a scientist who creates a monster which unfolds awful events
throughout the story. After learning that he could give life to another being
he uses that knowledge to do just that. I believe his original reasoning for
doing so was to lead to other scientific advances. The monster was a brutal one
that I would sympathies with because of his loneliness and rough treatment in
society. The scientist Victor was a arrogant man who would not take any blame
for the monster he created so Frankenstein must answer for all actions even
when he was unaware of what he did. Not understanding basic morals this was
difficult for the monster. Overall the writing in complex and very vivid
expressing horror and madness amongst the characters. I remember enjoying the
novel in high school and after reading it again I remember why. Frankenstein
can be seen in many different ways and I believe the monster was brought into a
world that would not accept him. Of course who would when everything they do
causes terror, pain, and trouble. In the end I became frustrated with Victor
and his arrogant self righteous narration only because of his actions but it
was a good read for a second time.
Week 13 - Oryx and Crake
Oryx and Crake definitely hit me a
lot harder than I had expected it to. It’s Margaret Atwood, so one can expect
the deft characterizations, innovative narrative structure, and social
criticism. What I wasn’t prepared for was the powerful emotional impact it had
behind it, and the thoughts it made me ponder over. In essence, Atwood asks a
simple question: “What type of world are we creating, and does it deserve to
exist? Do we deserve to exist if we stay
on the path we are continuously pursuing?” This is not a new question. Plenty
of dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels have asked it in a variety of forms.
Oryx and Crake is one of the most eloquent and harsh condemnations of the world
we have created, whether intentionally or not, that I’ve read in the last few
years. The story is also about the
online world we have created for ourselves, and with just the slightest bit of
exaggerations, shows us the childhood of Snowman and Crake, growing up on a
steady diet of online public executions, 24/7 webcams, Noodie News, assisted
suicide, frog squashing, and snuff videos. It’s all just standard stuff for
kids in the future. Looking at all the content that the Internet offers without
any restrictions to anyone with a smartphone, including kids of all ages, I
think any parent out there is uncomfortable and fears about what this
unrestricted flow of information can do to young minds not prepared to know the
difference between what we still attempt to categorize as “good” and “bad.” Definitely
a read that makes you ponder long after reading it.
Week 12 - Dawn
Butler
is an author I’ve been meaning to read forever and this was an intriguing place
to start. The dilemma of Lillith, deciding the fate of humanity and resigning
herself to be the betrayer, was tense and well thought out. The characters
themselves were nuanced and made me seriously look at how I thought about
prejudice, human-ness, and my attitude to the new and unknown. I look forward
to seeing how she moves the world forward in the next book. A reflective and
meditative yet very dramatic read. Interesting from so many points of view, really
well written and deeply insightful. I can't think of any other book I've read
that tells a similar story and I found this a very unique tale which was told
brilliantly. This
was my first Octavia E. Butler and it more than lived up to all the great things I’ve heard
about her work. The insights into human nature are too much to list, made
without seeming to try. The aliens are striking and just so alien. One of the
best examples of the insight into human nature comes early in the book when the
protagonist meets her first alien. The journey Lilith takes throughout the
course of the novel is deep and convoluted and entirely engaging. It isn't always
easy to read, but then again, I think that truth rarely is. To be honest
though, this book has left me with many questions. Nothing to do with the book,
but with myself, questioning raised because of the book. What I mean to say is
that the book has created an inner dialogue within my mind. Where suddenly you
find yourself speaking out loud to yourself and asking yourself questions.
Week 11 - Anubis Gates
Definitely a really fun fantastical read. Tim Power probably at
his best with wacked-out time travel stories, and that's precisely what this
is. He basically took the entire collection of English-language literary devices
and tossed them into one book. Basically it is a story about time travel. It reminded me
a lot of the Doomsday books by Connie Willis which is one of the best books I have ever read so I mean this a treat most
definitely. The method of travelling is very original and the purpose very
devious. Having travelled our hero spends a large part of the book living
in the past and often suffering accordingly. We meet Coleridge and Lord Byron
and travel geographically as well as time wise. Magic comes into play but it is
a very flawed magic and does not always behave as it should. Occasionally
I must admit it all got too smart for me and I got a bit lost as to who was
who. Overall a clever, epic story. Time travel, body swapping, Dickensian
London, Egyptian mythology, Romantic poets, evil wizards and exploration of
fatalism, props to Tim Powers for managing to combine all this into something
that wasn’t bad because with all these factors things can get messy and just
not good. Good story, good characters, great settings and ideas, and the ending
was my favorite part. I haven't read a time travel book in a long time, but
loved this one, as the descriptions of London in 1812 were very rich. I loved
how Lord Byron and other famous poets were running around, and the descriptions
of all the beggars were fascinating.
Week 10 - Babel17
I can see why it has won some
literary prizes back in its day. It packs quite a lot of ideas for the number
of pages it has. Most of those ideas relate to language and communication, but
there is also weapon development, faster than light navigation, genetic
enhancement, a bit of battle action and a memorable trip through a dystopian
city peopled with oddball characters, both alive and incorporate. It centers
around a woman called Rydra Wong who is a gifted poet and linguist in a far
future where an alliance of humans and aliens is at war with other
aliens. She is approached by the military to decode a strange language that
appears to be being used to sabotage weapons and ships across the galaxy.
Delany’s prose is beautiful and filled with energy, the plot also whips you
along through huge drama and betrayals, but then there’s also poetry and
moments of reflection on societal norms and the self. It’s a clever book.
To read something so playful in language, so inventive in language, is a treat.
To read something so intelligent regarding language, to decide what language is
important and how it becomes important and why different languages may possibly
lead to different cultural ideas is also a treat. To have it wrapped in a
wonderful bundle of book full of spies and adventure was more than I could’ve
asked for. One of my most interesting reads yet I want to say. I really liked
the style of the author and they way he wrote so it was an easier read for me
to follow along and the fun-packed adventures made it the kind of book where
you don’t want to stop reading.
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