Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones

Finally, I finished reading Hexwood (384 pages) by Diana Wynne Jones! Honestly, it was a difficult book to read, as it was utterly complicated. Even after I’ve finished the book, I still don’t understand some parts and I think I’ll have to read 4 or 5 more times to fully comprehend the whole story. I don’t think I can bear to read it again anyway. I’m considering selling the book off on eBay!

The story starts with a letter from Hexwood Farm to the Sector Controller Borasus, complaining about an ancient machine called the Bannus, which had been intentionally activated one of the clerks.

Then, there are 5 Reigners who control everything in the universe. Well, the present 5 Reigners are bad ones because they had cheated the Bannus many years ago. The Bannus’ job is to pick up 5 Reigners, each from different Houses, every 10 years, if I’m not mistaken.

One day, Ann, a 12-year-old girl who lives near Hexwood farm wanders into the wood. In the wood, in a weird and bizarre incident, she meets Mordion, the Reigners’ Servant. A Reigner Servant is responsible for killing people on the Reigners’ orders. However, Mordion hates the Reigners very much and wished to take revenge on them.

He creates Hume out of his and Ann’s blood. Mordion plans to train Hume so that Hume can finish off the Reigners for him. But later on, he realized how cruel it was to train Hume to do such a thing and did not want Hume to do the dirty job for him anymore.

There are more characters and even more complex events after that. This is the first book that I don’t particularly like from Diana Wynne Jones. I hope her other books would not be like this, too!

Monday, February 12, 2007

Best books of 2006/2007

Good books are hard to come by. There are so many books in the bookstores and we may not know which ones are good and which ones are not. If you really want to know which is worth reading, then either we'll have to buy them or get opinions from others who had read it before.

Anyway, what I have here is the list of books that were short-listed for the Costa Book Awards 2006. Costa Book Awards used to be the Whitbread Book Awards. So, I guess these books must be very good to be nominated in the first place for book awards.

Costa First Novel Award:

The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox
Cloth Girl by Marilyn Heward Mills
The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney (winner)
The Amnesia Clinic by James Scudamore

Costa Novel Award:

Restless by William Boyd (winner)
Saving Caravaggio by Neil Griffiths
A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon
Black Swan Green by David Mitchell

Costa Children's Book Award:

Clay by David Almond
The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding
Set in Stone by Linda Newbery (winner)
Just in Case by Meg Rosoff

Costa Poetry Award:

The Book of Blood by Vicki Feaver
Letter to Patience by John Haynes (winner)
District and Circle by Seamus Heaney
Dear Room by Hugo Williams

Costa Biography Award:

George Mackay Brown: The Life by Maggie Fergusson
Donne: A Reformed Soul by John Stubbs
Nabeel's Song by Jo Tatchell
Keeping Mum by Brian Thompson (winner)

Source: Costa Book Awards

Sunday, February 11, 2007

A Wikipedia Meme

I was blog-hopping and saw this Wikipedia meme at My So Called (Engaged) Life and decided to try it out since I am a huge fan of Wikipedia!

Instructions: Go to Wikipedia, type in your birthday without the year, choose 3 events, 3 births, and 3 deaths and post.

On December 9:

Events:

Births:

Deaths:

Friday, February 9, 2007

When you are in myLot, there's nowhere else you would rather be

Have you heard of myLot? myLot is a forum and the best part of it is – it pays you to comment!

There are so MANY topics to talk about there and honestly, you could get lost in there for hours! I got lost in there myself yesterday actually. Haha! Well, you need to comment and post a lot in myLot, as the paying rate is quite low. When I posted my first comment, I was only paid $0.02. But, if you are hardworking and determined (or just really desperate), you may reach $10.00 in a week or a little more than a week. Remember to take a break though from your computer. It’s not good to stare at the screen for too long!

You need a Paypal or e-Gold account so that myLot can pay you your earnings. I don’t really know how e-Gold works. I think they will pay you in gold and then do you sell the gold for money? I need to read up on it!

Well, enjoy myLot! =D

Thursday, February 8, 2007

Top 10 reasons to hang out at the library

I received this in the e-mail today and I think it is worth sharing. Oh, I wish there was a good library near my home! There is one but the books are soooo outdated! It's also quiet and lonely with very few visitors. Anyway, here is the article about the good things of being in a library:

A library is the grand place where books live. For those that love reading and collecting literature, a library can be a magical place of the imagination. It's a great place to find volumes on almost every imaginable topic. Library patrons may have a variety of reasons for visiting the library.

Why do you visit the library?

1) You can check out books for free.
Granted, you may pay a minimal fee for a library card. But, when you become a member of your local library, you have access to an untold number of books and other literary resources--all free of charge.

2) You'll find great places to read.
A great many libraries are filled with comfortable spots to read, whether you enjoy a comfortable chair, a table and chair, or a window seat.

3) You'll be illuminated.
Libraries tend to offer lots of light, so you won't ruin your eyesight by squinting at that tiny print. But, libraries also offer great reference materials. If you have questions about what you're reading, you can look it up in any of the number of dictionaries, encyclopedias, or other reference materials. The resources are illuminating!

4) You have access to book experts.
Librarians are professionally trained to help you find what you're looking for at the library. A librarian can point you in the right direction, answer questions, or help you find a book you'll enjoy to read.

5) Libraries offer access to rare and out-of-print material.
Some of the rare and out-of-print volumes may be on reserve, so you may have to put in a special request to see the book you require. But, one of the most amazing things about a library system is the access that readers have to manuscripts and books that you can't buy. Some readers travel around the world to visit rare books and manuscripts at the holding library.

6) You can participate in library events.
Whatever your purpose for visiting the library, you may enjoy participating in any of the many library events or activities. Your library may host guest lecturers, poets, novelists, or other literary experts. Also celebrate National Book Month, National Poetry Month, and other monthly events--by browsing the library's display and taking advantage of the wealth of information and knowledge.

7) The library is a great stress-reducer.
Just walking down the rows of books has a way of relaxing even the most stressed-out individual. And, then, start thumbing through a few volumes; and you're bound to be lost in the world of books. Perhaps it's the quiet atmosphere, the stillness, the presence of books, or just browsing through those lines of text. Visiting the library can just make a difference in your whole outlook.

8) You can make a difference.
Many libraries are in a constant struggle to stay open, as they try to maintain a level of service. You can make a difference in several ways: Volunteer your time, donate books, encourage others to visit the library, or participate in fundraising events. Check in with your local library to see what you can do to make a difference.

9) You can meet people who--like you--are book lovers.
A library is a great place to meet other people who share your passion for books and literature. You'll probably be encouraged not to talk to other readers while you're in the library. But, since so many other readers will be visiting the library, you can post an announcement for a book club or literary discussion. Other readers may post literary activities and events that might interest you as well.

10) Read, read, read. You have access to books!
You can read about love and life and freedom and hope and faith and happiness and tragedy. You'll read about all the passions and devastation in life. You'll read about death, about humanity and compassion. Books open up a world of possibility to you. With a library, you can educate your mind and fill the depths of your soul. You can become the kind of person you want to be--by opening your mind, and introducing your sensibilities to ideas that you'd never before considered. So, read.

Source: Top 10 Reasons to Visit the Library

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Calvin & Hobbes - The Best Cartoon Ever!


I started reading Calvin & Hobbes when I was in my primary school years mainly because it was a comic! The comics are colourful, humorous and incredibly entertaining. I used to read C&H for hours. Calvin is smart yet stupid at the same time.

He uses big, bombastic words but he is frightfully hopeless in Math. His best friend is a stuffed tiger toy, Hobbes, which he imagines is a real and talking tiger.

He detests girls and loves to bully his classmate and neighbour, Susie Derkins. I truly enjoy the ones where there are Calvin and Susie. Susie is smart and friendly. Unfortunately, Calvin stubbornly remains unfriendly and hostile towards her. However, it may be possible that he likes her!

He frequently gives his teacher, Miss Wormwood, lots of headaches. He is also afraid of Moe, a big but not-that-smart bully who always asks him for money. Moe calls Calvin ‘Twinky’.

Calvin is also afraid of his teenage babysitter, Rosalyn. Rosalyn also considers him a little monster but she baby-sits him because she needs the money for college. Something always goes wrong when she comes over to baby-sit him for the evening.

His mom loves to throw him out of the house as he is always making a mess in there. His dad tells him things, which are not quite true. It seems that Calvin’s dad is a resemblance of the comic’s author, Bill Watterson.

The characters in Calvin & Hobbes never grow old. Calvin will be 6 years old forever. It would be awfully interesting if he did grow. But, I guess Mr. Watterson had no plans of making him older!

It’s still fun reading the comics anyway. =D I wonder how many Calvin & Hobbes books are there in total. There is a box set - The Complete Calvin and Hobbes - that includes ALL of Calvin & Hobbes comics and would be a must-have treasure for any Calvin & Hobbes fans. It is also priced at a whopping $90.00!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...