Book Review | The Art of the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein

I know it isn’t a brand-new book but seeing as how we were blessed (or “blessed” depending on your POV) with a new Hobbit movie for Christmas (which is apparently being released on DVD in March, huzzah) I thought it’d be appropriate to do a little review here. And by “review” I mean “gushing about pretty pictures” because that’s about as coherent as my thoughts are right now.

Goodreads page for this book: The Art of the Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkein & Friends

It’s beautiful, really.

The cool thing about this book is that it walks the reader through the actual process of creating each illustration. We get to see the rough drafts -- sometimes pages of them -- and doodles and that kind of thing, and there’s plenty of backstory too. I mean, it is fun just to flip through the illustrations but the actual text is definitely worth reading if you’re at all interested in illustrative art or the processes of making books or the kinds of things that a man like Tolkein thinks.

I’ll recommend this as a “coffee table” book, but I don’t think that it is only worthy of being just a bit of decoration. It really is worth a read for any classic fantasy fan or aspiring author/illustrator.

Wheel of Time: A Memory of Light

First can I just say:

FINALLY

Book 14: A Memory of Light

[That link takes you to the Goodreads page for this book.]

Thoughts                                                                                                                                      

Even though it’s been nearly a month since the book was released -- a month since I dashed down to the bookstore and purchased the first hardback I’ve bought in over a year -- I still find it difficult to fully express all the feels I have about this book.

I don’t know if the ending really could have been any better. No, no, I don’t mean the book was perfect -- after all, after 14 books and 23 years and the death of the original author, how could it be? But I think that it was exactly the end that we needed.

I don’t want to write too much about it here, because I know several people who are still reading, or who are waiting for the ebook release in April, and some of them occasionally read my blog, and I don’t want to spoil this book for them. Besides, other folks have done a much better job of really hashing out the details than I ever could:

Brandon Sanderson's blog on release day: It's finally out.

Non-spoiler review of AMoL from The Thirteenth Depository.

"Dear Robert Jordan": a letter from fan/friend Jason Denzel.

Book review at HuffPo.

Brandon Sanderson's post-AMoL #TorChat on Twitter.

The book printing process at Quad Graphics in Pennsylvania.

Leigh Butler's spoiler-free review at Tor.

Leigh Butler's spoilerific and rather stream of consciousness-y review at Tor.

Part 1 of Tor's WoT: AMoL "re-read" series.

I have to say that I’m not sure about the open-endedness of the ending. Not that I expected some sort of Happily Ever After with a White Picket Fence and 2.5 Children (Per Wife) kind of ending, just... I still have so many questions and there are still so many loose ends and probably none of that will ever be addressed outside the realm of fanfic. In fact, that’s probably exactly what the authors intended.

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Where is a reader to go from here?

There are plenty of other epic fantasies out there, I guess. And, even better, plenty of speculative fiction in general.

I’m moving on the A Song of Ice and Fire series now. A coworker was kind enough to lend me the first season of Game of Thrones and now I feel more compelled than ever to tackle those brick-like books. But now that my commute is taking up a bit more time, I think I’ll be listening to the audio versions instead.

I’ve become more and more interested in YA over the past few years, too, to the point that several items on my to-read list have been pushed back a dozen times or more in favor of some shiney YA thing that I just can’t resist because oh, it’ll only take a couple of days to read. The great thing about YA is that the “genre” stuff is just as (if not more) common and respected as the “literary” stuff.

I have all kinds of reading plans for the coming year, though, plans that don’t necessarily involve SF/F (or at least not only SF/F). More about that in the year-in-review post(s) next month (maybe).

Friend me on Goodreads for more fun bookishness.

From a friend

I am blessed to have generous friends. Many of the most important people in my life happen to be the most generous and creative people on this planet, which makes me feel very lucky to count them as friends.

Case in point:

My best friend, who is currently dealing with med school stuff and family stuff and just general life stuff like a champ, sent us this painting that she made. It amazes me that this woman, who has so much weighing on her every day, still has the urge and the aptitude and the wherewithal to bring something beautiful into this world for others to enjoy.

To my friend: thank you. And to anyone else out there who feels the urge to create even when "real life" gets in the way: keep on keepin' on.

En français | Day Zero Project: My year in books (and more)

Well, look at that -- is it really February already?

I didn’t mean to take such a long “blogcation” but I guess I needed it. I’ve used the extra time to work on other projects. And ideas for the blog have been building up in the back of my brain and now I’ve got a nice little backlog of posts.

I'm happy to announce that I completed my 2012 Goodreads Challenge to read 50 books! Actually, I ended up consuming 80 books total last year -- way more than I thought I'd get the chance to read.

Bonus: this, in combination with the books I read in 2011, let's me check "Read 101 books" off my Day Zero Project list!

Bien, regardez ça - est-il vraiment Février?

Je ne voulais pas prendre des blog-vacances prolongées mais je pense que j'en avais besoin de temps. J'ai utilisé le temps supplémentaire pour travailler sur d'autres projets. Et des idées pour le blog ont été survenant à moi et maintenant j'ai un joli petit liste de postes.

Je suis heureux de vous annoncer que j'ai terminé mon 2012 Défi de Goodreads pour lire 50 livres! En fait, j'ai effectivement lu 80 livres au total l'année dernière - beaucoup plus que je pensais avoir la chance de lire.

Bonus: ça, en combinaison avec les livres que j'ai lus en 2011, me laisse cocher «Lire 101 livres» en ma liste de Day Zero Project!

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Before moving on to 2013, let's celebrate crossing another goal off of that Day Zero list: "Get a smartphone" (#89). Mom made that happen for us (yes, we both got fancy new phones) this year, and I am so so so grateful to her for that. And what better way to celebrate than with a cat picture?

Avant de passer à 2013, nous allons célébrer une autre tâche terminée: «Obtenir un smartphone» (# 89). Ma mère a fait que cela se produise pour nous cette année, et je suis très reconnaissante de cela. Et quelle meilleure façon de célébrer que d'un chat photo?

Dramatic Cat is Dramatic
«chat dramatique»

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So, now, for the Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge, I've challenged myself to read 70 books!

Yes, that's less than what I actually read this year, but this time I have some more specific (and rather ambitious/daunting) plans for those 70 books.

1. I want to read at least 6 biographies or autobiographies. Preferably more, but at least 6 (one for every 2 months doesn't sound too scary).
2. I also want to read at least 6 classics this year. Again, preferably more, but we'll see. There are a lot of classic books that I skipped reading in high school or that I haven't been brave enough to pick up or just that I've never had the chance to try, and I want to change that. If the stars align in just the right way I may even do a series on this blog about this effort.
3. I'll soon be listening to the audiobooks of George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. This is A LOT of material to get through but it is something that I've been meaning to do for a long time anyway.
4. A book club that I've been press-ganged into is trying to make it through a selection from NPR's Top 100 YA Novels (not the complete list, but much of it). I want to keep up with this as much as possible! (Oh, yeah, and I can cross #67 "Join a book club" off the Day Zero list, too!)

OK so yes that is basically it for my 2013 book-related ambitions. Wish me luck!

Pour le Défi de Goodreads 2013, je me suis défi pour lire 70 livres!

Oui, c'est moins que ce que j'ai effectivement lu cette année, mais cette année j'ai quelques plus spécifiques (et plutôt ambitieux / intimidante) les plans de ces 70 livres.

1. Je veux lire au moins 6 biographies ou autobiographies. De préférence de plus, mais au moins 6 (une pour tous les 2 mois ne semble pas trop effrayant).
2. J'ai aussi veux lire au moins 6 classiques cette année. Encore une fois, de préférence de plus, mais nous verrons. Il ya beaucoup de livres classiques que je manquait de lire à l'école ou que je n'ai pas eu le courage de ramasser ou tout simplement que je n'ai jamais eu la chance d'essayer, et je veux changer cela. Si les étoiles s'alignent dans la bonne façon je peux même faire une série sur ce blog à propos de ce projet.
3. Je vais écouter les livres audio la série de George R. R. Martin Song of Ice and Fire. Ce sont de grands livres, mais c'est quelque chose que j'ai eu l'intention de le faire depuis longtemps de toute façon.
4. Un club de lecture que j'ai été enrôlés de force dans essaie de le faire à travers une sélection de la Radio Publique Nationale 100 Meilleurs Livres pour les Adolescents (pas la liste complète, mais une grande partie de celle-ci). Je veux lire autant que possible! (Oui, et je peux traverser #67 «Rejoindre un club de lecture» de la liste Day Zero, aussi!)

Eh bien, c'est essentiellement pour mes ambitions de livres de 2013. Souhaitez moi bonne chance!
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On a vaguely related note:

I have a new job!

Up until today I’ve been clerking at a public library in the town where we currently live. I’ll now be working the Ref Desk at another library in the area -- it is a bit more of a commute but at least now I get to make use of my shiny new degree. I'm nervous but excited. And that's #99 ("Find a 'real' job") on the Day Zero list taken care of at last.

Sur une note plus ayant un vague rapport:

J'ai un nouveau travail!

Jusqu'à aujourd'hui, j'ai été auxiliaire juridique à la bibliothèque publique de la ville où nous vivons actuellement. Je vais maintenant être un bibliothécaire réelle à une autre bibliothèque dans la région - il est un peu plus d'une trajet, mais au moins maintenant je peux faire usage de mon nouveau diplôme. Je suis nerveux mais excités. Et c'est # 99 («Trouver un vrai emploi») sur la liste Day Zero Project enfin terminé.

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Do you speak French? Please forgive my mistakes! I am happy to take advice. 

Parlez-vous français? S'il vous plaît pardonnez mes erreurs! Je suis heureux de prendre conseil.

Xmas at the Library: Deck the Shelves

Sung to the tune of “Deck the Halls”

Deck the shelves with books and movies,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

'Tis the season for fake pine trees,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

Don we now our tacky sweaters,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

Like we’re real Yuletide go-getters,
Fa la la la la la la la la.


See the patrons try to find things,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

Panic as the phone ring ring rings,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

Follow me through the dusty stacks,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

While my patience slowly cracks,
Fa la la la la la la la la.


Forgive some fines and look for lost books,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

Shush loud children and dodge lewd looks,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

Eat some cookies and chug coffee,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

Santa’s here at the library,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

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Hiatus announcement: Lone Star on a Lark will be abandoned for the next two weeks as we take some time to hang out with family, settle into a changing schedule, and get ready for the new year. We hope that you have a delightful holiday season. See you next year!