That's the most hilarious and awesome review I've ever read :).
What do you mean Deb - Swallow got a mention - and I even said he was Awesome!
Mystic Ward
12 years ago
Mystic Ward
Twentyfamilies Gypsy
OK sorry, should have read the first paragraph again instead of looking for him in the 'what happens' area. :P
so that review is ready to go, if anyone wants to put it up.
I have reviewed Books 1-3 of Obernewtyn on my word press blog, but am unsure if it is appropriate to post a link here?
Mystic Ward
11 years ago
Mystic Ward
Twentyfamilies Gypsy
Feel free Dweomeroflight. It's always good to a different perspective.
WOOT! Review is up - I should start the next one ... (and perhaps edit the previous one - there are still some typos)
11 years ago
Thu Apr 12 2012, 07:25am
DoL - we can post them as links to reviews on each relevant book page in the Bibliography - send the links over, it's always useful to have more reviews there.
The IC Book Reviews page though is chiefly for reviews by members published here on Obernet (not links to external blogs) - all good?
Edit: also - I'd like to try get a review of Greylands done. I reread it about 2 weeks ago so now's a good time. Will try have it back here in the usual two-week timeline.
Thanks for your help Min. I am in the process of writing a review of The Sending at my word press, so I will send the links to you when I have done that- probably later this week.
The two parts of Tales from the Tower are also on my "to read and review" list if you want those when they are done?
Also, yes, I understand this thread now :)
I am sorry to say I don't think I can do much more. My review on the Stone Key is not perfect, but if necessary it can be used as it is. I give permission, if anyone needs to, to use my draft and change it, or someone can start over if they want. So sorry, but it has been a while and it is better if you all continue the reviews....without me :P
Good luck to you all!
I've just reread The Stone Key very recently and would love to try my hand at reviewing, with the chance for some feedback, but I don't want to devalue your hardwork Adelie! I am sure your effort is great!
So no one's done Billy Thunder? Hmmm perhaps I may try my hand. It may take more than two weeks though ...
hi i noticed that The Sending isn't on the list of books? could i write a review on it? Thanks
11 years ago
Sat Aug 18 2012, 01:50pm
Here's my review on The Gathering =D I haven't written a lot of reviews, so I hope it's OK!
....................................................................
"Do you believe in good and evil, Mum?" I asked... "...I mean evil as a sort of force that you could fight."
She frowned. "Evil and good are potentials in all of us. You have a choice whether or not to be evil because you can choose not to do evil things.... Sometimes it might be tempting to do a bad thing and if you resist then that's fighting evil. But a force outside human beings?" She shook her head.
...It was just the sort of explanation an adult would have. My mother could only see evil in a mundane way, like stealing or lying or cheating on your income tax ...kids could see things that adults couldn't because they weren't hampered by ideas of the way things ought to be.
The dark side of human nature is effortlessly illustrated in Isobelle Carmody’s ‘The Gathering’.
Nathanial Delaney has unwillingly moved to Chesthunt , a small town with big secrets. A simple teenage boy, with a bit of a Hamlet complex and social ineptitude, he is intriguing because of the intricacy of his character, as he has a talent for contradicting himself and raising more questions about his personality, rather than providing answers.
Instantly disliking the small seaside community, and developing a distaste for the stench of the nearby abattoir, Nathaniel is enrolled in the local school, Three North High. After declining the invitation to join the school youth group, The Gathering, he stumbles upon a meeting of local students, who call themselves The Chain, and have collectively come together to fight back against ‘the dark’ in Chesthunt, headed by Mr. Karl, the school principal.
Though somewhat cynical of the mystery surrounding Chesthunt, in time Nathanial comes to realise that ‘the dark’ is all around him, and his discoveries lead to uncovering the history of Chesthunt, and the parallels between past and present events.
The novel deals with themes such as good versus evil, the depiction and inherent nature of evil, existentialism, nihilism, fascism, and the battling of one’s own demons in order to survive. With incongruent elements of fantasy and social realism, it creates an almost challenging atmosphere of ideas and philosophies concerning the dark nature of human society.
As Nathaniel learns more about The Gathering and ‘the dark’, he also learns more about himself and his role in The Chain, preparing him for the epic showdown of Light versus Dark.
An unputdownable novel that does not wholly rely on plot and atmospheric suspense, The Gathering is a success because of Nathaniel’s authentication and intriguing character, and the fact that it is a literary achievement on all accounts. Dealing with societal problems recognisable and the understandable and wholly unpredictable nature of evil in the world, it is a novel for all Carmody fans.
Mystic Ward
11 years ago
Mystic Ward
Twentyfamilies Gypsy
I like this very much Kaylan. Will have it up as soon as a MoO is available
Thanks =D I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Can I please have a try at 'Billy Thunder and the Night Gate', if no-ones already doing it?
11 years ago
Thu Dec 27 2012, 05:22pm
Well nothing has happened here for a while (just like in the chapter review thread, which I really should remember to get to), so I want to claim Green Monkey Dreams. I've already written a review on my blog about that (which even Isobelle Carmody's website linked too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but I'll adapt it to suit the site. If that's alright?
EDIT: Below is my first 'draft' of the review, and I am wondering if this is what you want, otherwise I can go back and add or subtract things as needed. I didn't really go into detail about the short stories as in the plot, but I described a few things. Not sure if this is what you want, so let me know.
Green Monkey Dreams by Isobelle Carmody
Now this book was first published back in 1996, and is actually a collection of 14 short stories, and I guarantee you that these are definitely some of the best, if not the best, short stories you will ever read (if I am wrong, I really want to know which short stories top them!)! It was republished in 2012, and I have been informed that it is now out of print, so if you are going to snap up a copy, you need to do so quickly.
The 14 short stories would be amazing on their own (and in fact some of them were published in various places) but together they are fantastic. They aren’t majorly connected to one another, but there is recurring themes and little things (you’ll see if you read it) that appear over a couple of the stories. Now they are all fantasy, some are more out there than others, whereas some are definitely more real life but have a fantastical element to them. I won’t go into too much detail because I really don’t want to ruin anyone’s experience for them, because it is really a book you need to experience yourself. But I will say that some of the stories are haunting and sometimes shocking. They are all food for thought, and really do leave you thinking and wondering.
One thing I cannot stress enough is that Isobelle Carmody is an amazing, fantastic, awesome, inspirational fantasy writer. She creates such detailed worlds (14 of them in this book, which is an achievement in itself) over and over again, and they are all different. I cannot even imagine how she came up with these ideas and how she was able to put them together so well. Now I have to warn you that you may need an open mind to read this book, the first short story is quite out there (maybe a more real world one could have been put, but I don’t think that would have worked, because those were saved for some really powerful moments) and it may force some readers to walk away from the test, which would be really sad. Don’t get me wrong, it is a brilliant short story, but for those not familiar with Isobelle Carmody, and not really enjoying ‘full on’ fantasy, it might be confronting to have such an new and unfamiliar world thrust upon you (and there is only limited time to introduce a world, as these are short stories, with a combined page total just over 300). You may be slightly confused at first, but for me I was able to get into the worlds quickly and enjoy them. There are many surprises along the way (which I will not spoil) which blew me away, and I had not expected them to happen. It is not a kid’s book, I’m calling that now, and it deals with some mature themes (though there is no real swearing or sexual content or graphic scenes, some things a child or even young teen might be too confronted by to read) and I think it highlights that fantasy is not just for children, and Isobelle Carmody is the prime example of that.
I also think that it is a book that you should not be rushing through, you need to take your time, and split up the short stories, so you can have some time to ponder and digest each one. I think it is also of great benefit to re-read the stories, because there are surely going to be things you have missed. I have to say that this is my favourite collection of short stories, and I am so glad to have been able to read it, and I urge you to find a copy and enjoy.
It's good Daniel.
I'd suggest only two things:
- a closing paragraph (or an alteration at the start) saying that Allen & Unwin republished it in 2012 and it's now available from their site, so it's not so hard to track down a copy any more.
- you don't have to give any spoilers away, but perhaps you could mention which of the stories you liked the most, and why? Give a starting point to anyone unsure about it who wants to give one of the stories a go?
Thanks Min, I didn't know about it still being available online, so that's good to hear. Should I add a link to the site or just leave it up to people to find it on their own?
I've bolded the alterations, let me know if you have any more suggestions!
Green Monkey Dreams by Isobelle Carmody
Now this book was first published back in 1996 by Penguin, and is actually a collection of 14 short stories, and I guarantee you that these are definitely some of the best, if not the best, short stories you will ever read (if I am wrong, I really want to know which short stories top them!)! It was republished in 2012 by Allen & Unwin, and is now available from their website.
The 14 short stories would be amazing on their own (and in fact some of them were published in various places) but together they are fantastic. They aren’t really connected to one another, but there is recurring themes and little things (you’ll see if you read it) that appear over a couple of the stories, which can make you smile when you notice them, but don't detract anything if you don't. Now they are all fantasy, some are more out there than others, whereas some are definitely more real life but have a fantastical element to them. I won’t go into too much detail because I really don’t want to ruin anyone’s experience for them, because it is really a book you need to experience yourself. But I will say that some of the stories are haunting and sometimes shocking. They are all food for thought, and really do leave you thinking and wondering.
One thing I cannot stress enough is that Isobelle Carmody is an amazing, fantastic, awesome, inspirational fantasy writer. She creates such detailed worlds (14 of them in this book, which is an achievement in itself) over and over again, and they are all different. I cannot even imagine how she came up with these ideas and how she was able to put them together so well. Now I have to warn you that you may need an open mind to read this book, the first short story is quite out there (maybe a more real world one could have been put, but I don’t think that would have worked, because those were saved for some really powerful moments) and it may force some readers to walk away from the test, which would be really sad. Don’t get me wrong, it is a brilliant short story, but for those not familiar with Isobelle Carmody, and not really enjoying ‘full on’ fantasy, it might be confronting to have such an new and unfamiliar world thrust upon you (and there is only limited time to introduce a world, as these are short stories, with a combined page total just over 300). You may be slightly confused at first, but for me I was able to get into the worlds quickly and enjoy them. There are many surprises along the way (which I will not spoil) which blew me away, and I had not expected them to happen. It is not a kid’s book, I’m calling that now, and it deals with some mature themes (though there is no real swearing or sexual content or graphic scenes, some things a child or even young teen might be too confronted by to read) and I think it highlights that fantasy is not just for children, and Isobelle Carmody is the prime example of that.
Out of the fourteen short stories that the book contains, my favourite would have to be The Phoenix. It is a very emotive piece, and it made the most impact on me. It made me put down the book and think about what had happened. It pushed my thinking on the boundaries of reality and fantasy, and showed how powerful belief can be. By the same token The Lemming Factor did the same thing, though it didn't have as much of an emotional punch. The hopefulness of the journey and fear of being left behind made it riveting reading. To round out my top three, the first story in the book, The Glory Days, would have to be my choice. It took a while to get into, and you really just have to go with it as you get used to the concept of these short stories. It was intriguing and once again, deeply emotional.
I also think that it is a book that you should not be rushing through, you need to take your time, and split up the short stories, so you can have some time to ponder and digest each one. I think it is also of great benefit to re-read the stories, because there are surely going to be things you have missed. I have to say that this is my favourite collection of short stories, and I am so glad to have been able to read it, and I urge you to find a copy and enjoy.