The Hobbit

The Hobbit features holistic characterization and development of Bilbo Baggins and Thorin Oakenshield in terms of their context, motives, and conflicts (internal and external) which push the narrative forward. Other characters whose developments come across as worthy of note include Beorn the skin-changer and Smaug - by now made famous (or infamous) via the the films. 

Then there is Tolkien's language: stylishly and skillfully used to say the least with non-canonical clause structures being utilized and the inclusion of poetry to express his characters' thoughts and feelings. 

Middle Earth, moreover, is a place of natural, magical beauty, a sort of European haven with dark, enchanted stops. Majestic mountains, rivers, lakes, and landscapes pepper Tolkien's fantasy world. 

Tying up loose ends and major narrative gaps very thoroughly, Tolkien writes a pretty believable denouement towards the end of the book, though some story elements remain unexplained since they are part of the historical background of this fictional mythology. 

Overall, the narrative speaks of Englishness and home; of courage, of divine intervention, and of greed and money and its limitations; of friendship and cultural differences. 

An enchanting, child-friendlier part of Tolkien's mythopoeia, one's imagination easily latches on to The Hobbit . 

Nevertheless, all this being said, the movement of narrative-time - the plot-movement - is a tad too slow because Tolkien, like other deft English writers, take as much time and as many ideas as they feel necessary to introduce their readers to the various stages of a plot and even settings.

Star Trek: Discovery - Why not?

Star Trek: Discovery

*****Spoilers Ahead*****

Synopsis:

Episodes 1 – 2:

Crew members of the USS Shen Zhou discover an unidentified object in space that turns out to be deadly, eventually sparking a chain of decisions and events that culminate in a full-scale war.

Episode 3:

Six months after the battle at the Binary Stars, former first officer Michael Burnham, on the way to a prison facility, finds herself taken on board the USS Discovery, but for what mission? Enter Captain Gabriel Lorca—witty, stalwart, charismatic, unconventional, yet subtly dark.

3 Reasons To Spend An Evening On Star Trek: Discovery

1. Excellent Scriptwriting

So says an enigmatic captain to his crew member in the TV show:

“Your assumption that the Klingons were waiting in ambush at the Binary Stars was predictive. You chose to do the right thing over and above what was sanctioned, even at great cost to yourself. And that is the kind of thinking that wins wars. The kind of thinking I need next to me. Universal law is for lackeys. Context is for kings.”  

With a script like that, how can Star Trek Discovery lose?  

2. Complex, well-developed characters, with (believable) emotional baggage, from diverse ethnicities and social backgrounds.

a. Captain Phillipa Georgiou of the USS Shen Zhou (played by Michelle Yeoh)—Chinese national (assumed); witty, bold, adventurous yet measured in her decisions. Mentor to Michael Burnham.

b. First Officer Michael Burnham—African American; of human descent but Vulcan upbringing; ambitious, logical, bold, witty, brash and a little antagonistic towards the Chief Science Officer. A maverick. Parents were killed in a Klingon attack.  

c. Chief Science Officer Saru – Of Kelpien descent; cautious and analytical.

d. T’ Kuvma – A Klingon of the House Kahless; terrorist by Federation standards; tries to unite the Klingon tribes for war by appealing to their ethnicity; represents Federation as a threat; claims that Federation’s objective is to marginalize, subvert and/ or destroy Klingon culture and identity; bullied and stigmatized as a child.   

3. The use of Symbolism

A captain hands out a fortune cookie to a talented crew member, representing the untold possibilities of the future.

The book, Alice in Wonderland, on the other hand, is used to suggest that logic does not always explain how the world works. Sometimes, up becomes down and left becomes right. Situations remain dynamic and inexplicable.

All in all, this is a promising, intelligent science-fiction yarn.

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. It was the age of technological advancement, of information and education, of strengthening identity. It was the epoch of multi-polarity, of burgeoning strongmen, and of geopolitical tension. It was the year 2017 A.D. 


http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/how-strongmen-co-opted-democracy

Star Trek: Discovery. Two female protagonists - one Chinese and one African American-and one solid plot featuring a bad ass antagonist who appeals to ethnic identity to start a war.

Book Review: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

"In Asgard, three gods sat on their thrones: one-eyed Odin the all-father,  red-bearded Thor of the thunders, and handsome Frey of the summer's harvest." ~ Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman 

With a spell-binding narrative and word-magic, Gaiman captivates his readers, giving insight into the pantheon of Norse gods, giants and magical creatures and items. 

Get ready for wit and humour, trickery and deceit and intimations about protagonists and antagonists as Gaiman takes you on a breathtaking journey from the Beginning to Ragnarok! 


I fell in love with Loki's sardonism and wit and cleverness, enthralled by his antagonistic relationship with other gods, yet never being able to be truly independent of them, never able to escape partnering them on quests. 


I was enamored of the enigmatic dwarfs, the Sons of Ivaldi and Brokk and Eitri, who make strange but interesting treasures for the gods. 

I was hungry for the meat the characters ate, the "five whole roast oxen . . . the twenty whole baked salmon . . ." and ". . . trays of little pastries and fancies . . ."


I was thirsty for the Mead of Poetry. 

I was yearning, really, for Gaiman's words.