19

nineteen

the number does not describe my age but counts the number of books i have read so far this 2011.  This is in my quest for 100.  I recently finished the last two books, one the ending of a trilogy and the other the second book of one of Raymond E. Feist's numerous series.

the Amber Spyglass ends Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, a story of Lyra Belacroix, a young girl on the verse of adolescence as she moves from world to world in an adventure that will ultimately save the world.

this third book for me is the most thought provoking.  No wonder it was questioned by the Catholic church in some countries as a book not fit for young readers (as it rightfully is).  It presents the story of paradise lost in an entirely new vision.  Not only that, but it also questions the very basis of the catholic faith.

but remember that this is fiction and along with the premise and the superb writing of Pullman, I truly believe that this book is a must read.  Adventure, magic, suspense and the ultimate sacrifice that will always mean that good will always prevail.

lately, i have noticed that i have been reading a lot of Feist.  and with this title, the second in the Serpentwar Saga, i again realized why.  Raymond E. Feist presents young out of the way characters as the main personalities of his adventures.  what started with Pug and Tomas in the Riftwar Series, this story now has a different cast of characters in a setting that to me is almost more familiar than my own.

rise of a merchant prince is truly the story of Roo, an ambitious criminal turned soldier turned merchant as he rises from non-existence to that of being an important figure in Krondor, set of the story. with equal amount of wit, adventure, danger, and sexuality this is one novel that is truly Feisty (pun totally intended).

the end of a saga...

among the different genres of novels, there is one that i believe needs an unending supply of creativity and imagination from the author.  that is epic fantasy.  with these kinds of works, one needs to create a believable world and characters that would not only entertain us but also make us believe in their reality.  so far, i have visited upon worlds that have given me cause to imagine and wish to be transported there.  while one would be the middleearth of the lord of the rings novels created by j.r.r. tolkien, one other world has time and again invited me to visit.

the world of midkemia and its parallel world of kelewan.

written by the genius of raymond e. feist, i have first glimpsed upon the beauty of this land and got to know these characters back in college so many years ago.  since then i have never forgotten the beauty and the intrigue that it has shared with me.

now, i have just reread the whole series that have introduced these worlds to us, the riftwar saga.

since being introduced to pug, i have been immersed to the politics and the adventure of the personalities and creatures that have since then been made known to me.  with the growing powers that he has learned as the years go, i have also increased the thirst for more and more of all things midkemian and tsurani.

devouring chapter after chapter of the first four books, i cant wait for the other titles and series that have sprung up after the best selling initial saga.  though i have read a lot of them, still reading them once more have given me the visions like a well loved movie seen again after a long period of longing.

ill bet, these titles would soon be known as novels to film just like the other works from other authors before this.  surely i will welcome the visions to compare them to the visions i have made in my mind.

like all epic fantasies, the series has ended with darkness at sethanon.  but rest assured there are still other stories about these worlds out there, just waiting for the pen of feist for us to have a glimpse of them.


*ending the series puts me at 17 at the 100 challenge:
14.Apprentice,15.Master,16.Silverthorn,17.Sethanon; almost finish with Amber Spyglass as of writing