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SELECTED POSTS
This page, NEWS & UPDATES which is
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grown into a huge database of my almost
daily ramblings of all stuff I hold dear to
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sordid kind. For your convenience, I have
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MY POINT IS [Comments & Opinions].
SERIES' SUMMARIES
Sometime in 2004 I began
reviewing selected
series in an episode by
episode way, where I
called these reviews
EPISODIC THOUGHTS.
These thoughts are
mostly summaries of each
and every episode with
my opinion of that
episode included in it
as well. I may not
provide the most in
depth summaries but I am
very proud of the fact
that I could keep the
writing on such a long
winded basis each and
every night for the
entirety of the series.
I don't do this for each
and every series though
because it kills a lot
of brain cells, mine as
well as fellow netizens
who often joined in the
discussion by posting
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thoughts are still open
for feedback and
discussion. Do check
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REVIEWS where it is
indicated with an
[E]
next to my name.
OFFBEAT STUFF
There is this one
section in here that
features offbeat stuff
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section is known as
FUNN STUFF
[COMMENTS & OPINIONS].
PERSONAL FAVOURITES
There are 3 sections in
here that contain my
personal favourites of
all kinds.
THE DDGs [COMMENTS
& OPINIONS] which
features specially made
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of my favourite stars or
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MEDIA & MUSIC FILES
[DOWNLOADS]
which has my favourite
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most of them are taken
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dramas & movies and some
of which I am hosting
for my net friends and
THE STORYTELLERS
[WEBSITES],
where you'll find
stories written by
amateur writers like you
and I.
Do check them all out! |
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Heard of Gmail? It is by invitation only and I have plenty to give. If you want a gmail email account, simply email me at funnlim AT gmail.com (replace AT with @ and no space) together with your valid email address and I'll send you the invitation. Remember, must be valid email address because the details on how to set up an account is in that email sent to that very address. |
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01.01.2006
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May 08, 2005
Books - reading for fad or for pleasure?
Permanent link ▫ ▫  
There was a time when everybody was into Harry Potter but rarely did I see anybody holding any Harry Potter books in the LRT. Then came LOTR and suddenly everybody was holding a copy and funnily enough, always the first volume and always the first few pages. Then of course came the next big thing, The Da Vinci Code. Now everybody holding a copy of this book, LOTR discarded and I believe never beyond the first 3 chapters. Guess what? I suspect next one will be The Rule Of Four.
All I have read, and all different in every sense though Rule of Four at first is a bit like Da Vinci Code. I enjoyed the contents, I enjoyed the analysis but there is a common thread amongst these 3 books-they're all very tedious read.
LOTR is tedious because it is a difficult read, and boring at times but nevertheless a momentus type of achievement.
Da Vinci Code I read it because everybody was reading it. I enjoyed the analysis about the paintings but the story and the narrative style, I hated these two aspects. It took several chapters just to find out what the grandfather was doing on the floor which shocked our heroine. That was enough for me to hate the book. And the ending was pure nonsense, as in aimless. The narrative style was tedious at most part. But the analysis was interesting, and I learned something about Leornardo Da Vinci and I understood what the book was trying to say and I believe the book, as in the female-male equality analysis may be real though I am doubtful Christ had descendants.
That was a fad book you know. What everybody is reading, everybody else is reading the same. And now Tom Hanks will play the title character. Sorry to say, wrong casting decision.
Now came The Rule Of Four, a book my sister was looking for it everywhere. The cover was disappointing, the book quality looking and feeling quite cheap though the price is the same. And I was reading it the first 5 chapters or so and I almost fell asleep. Reading the book I knew the authors (there are 2 by the way-how the 2 can come to a certain consensus on a certain scene is beyond me) were new to this, as in this was their first novel. The description is too flowery at times and yet most of the times irrelevant and badly paced. Like Da Vinci Code, the only interesting part is when the characters discovered something about the book that HYPNEROTOMACHIA POLIPHILI that until now I still do not know why the character named Paul was so obsessed with it. It looked like just an ordinary love story to me. Of course I am still very early into the book and I hope it will get better. But those side stories about friendship, Princeton and what nots are all really tedious read. Sometimes aimless and this book makes The Da Vinci Code so much more entertaining to read you know. But writing style, I sighhhhh
I am a lover of books. At times I prefer a book more than a movie or the company of friends and I can finish book in a week even if it is thick if I really love that book. I can escape into the world as imagined by the author and I love all kinds of book, though there are stages in my life I prefer certain types of books.
To me Michael Chrichton is a sensationalism type of writer, taking a popular or controversial topic and disguise it with a story and then call it a novel when every book he has ever written were more like for movies you know. Whilst he lacks physical description for his characters, he more than made up for the action scenes, all very very well described and I always enjoyed reading his books. His book, Prey was such a good read, I can imagine Kevin Spacey as the hero. In fact I would say one of the most thrilling and scariest book I have ever read.
Jeffrey Archer is one of my most favourite author, despite his personal live. His books are all great reads, very well paced, very well told, very well everything except for the often lame ending. But every page is a page turner, except for his latest works. He wrote his best novels when he was at his most unfortunate times and now I think he may still be able to write such books since he is down on his luck.
My sister loves Paulo Coelho and his very famous book, The Alchemist. I find him too preachy and I disliked to read translated books until I have no choice you know. Never liked his books but he has a got a distinctive style and theme that is easily identified as his own style.
JK Rowling needs no introduction, the woman who brought the love of reading back into children and adults alike. This woman is so good, I can read her books 10 times each and never bored.
Edgar Allan Poe, I read only one story of his called The Tell Tale Heart, I think that's the title. The best thriller if you can call it a thriller I have ever read. I long to write like him, playing with our psychological side. That story was brilliant and I could almost hear the heart beating like the protaganist in the story.
And many more great authors.
Lately I discovered Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet In Heaven. A very short novel but so well written. Very simple approach, the story very simple at first but the whole book is just so enchanting, the ending will sure to bring tears into your eyes. The only problem I have with the book is why must the character discover his value after he is dead? Ahhh no second chance but in heaven, maybe so. I wonder which 5 I will meet in heaven? Maybe one of them the devil himself? Who knows?
And then I read Andelin Yen Mah and her first novel, Falling Leaves. I chanced upon this book and being bored stiff, I bought it on a whim and mind you, RM35-00 gone just like that. But the first chapter itself was such an intriguing read and the best of all, it was an autobiography. I cannot imagine anyone having such a lonely childhood, such useless siblings and such an evil step mom but you know, my mom had that life, I could have wrote this book on her behalf. The book is sad, but the frustating as well as the author herself seem to be stuck in the ever strong influence and grip of her very dead step mom she calls Niang. I wonder why bother? But a good read, after all somebody else' misery is often very entertaining you know since it is not happening to you.
And then I read The Rule Of Four. Really none of the beauty of the narrative styles of the authors above. And suddenly I realise that Michael Crichton may be accused of being a sensationalism writer, I realise The Da Vinci Code, and The Rule Of Four types of books are exactly that. But I still give this book a chance. I hate reading and giving up half way when everybody seems to think it is a great book. Maybe it could be, I hope.
Anyway nowadays books are a bit like diets you know; the fad books that everybody is reading, and everybody else will read too. But I suspect next time I am in the LRT, The Rule Of Four will be the book everybody is reading. And I will be left to wonder, did they finish The Da Vinci Code?
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5 COMMENTS
I admit I'm one of those who read LOTR and HP because of the movies. That is because I was curious how the original story is compared to the adaptation and also because I can't wait one whole year to know what happened to Merry and Pippin after they got captured.
As for hype up books like The Da Vinci Code, when everyone is raving about how good a book is, of course u will be curious to read it too.
Thus, u see everyone reading the same hype up books.
It's not about reading for fad or for pleasure but reading out of curiosity.
Btw, I never finish reading LOTR because it's just way too detailed but am currently reading book 5 of HP.
Actually there are many elements I dislike about the HP stories (like the blatant favouritism everyone displayed towards the Gryfindor and how JK paints everyone in Slytherine as despicable), but JK Rowlings is a damn skilled storyteller, which makes her books very enjoyable to read. I'm look forward to books 6, but I just hope JK will be fair to the Draco Malfoy character and follow her original intention for this character instead of trying to make Draco as dislikable as possible to discaurage her readers from liking this character. During her meet the fans session when she saw a lot of her readers like Draco Malfoy, she blatantly told them that they should not like Draco Malfoy. She obviously created Draco to be a character to hate. This make me really disliked this author (an author should be fair to all her characters and should not dictate who her readers should like all dislike) and I refused to read more of her books (I have only read book 1 then and don't think it's that good) but many people including my best friend keep insisting that her story will get better and book 3 is especially good. So, I give the story a try, since I manage to get a free copy of them, found them really is very well written.
Here is the Hat desription of the criteria for being sorted into Slytherine.
Book 1:
"Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends."
Book 4:
"And power-hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition. "
Book 5:
"Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those
whose ancestry is purest."
So, Slytherin members are :
cunning
great ambition
use all mean so achieve aim
power-hunger
pure-blood
Last I check 'evil' is not mention in the song. An evil person might have the above traits, but people who has the above traits is not neccessarily evil. Also, not all Slytherin will have all the above traits. They might only be cunning, but not power-hungry, or other combination. To paint all Slytherin as evil is generalising things.
Cunning != evil.
Having great ambition != evil
I really feel sorry for kids in Slytherin. Only 11 years old, and already been branded as evil and hated my children in all 3 other houses.
The kids in other houses are not all saints (in facts, the Weasley Twins are a pair of bullies), but Slytherins are the only ones who get the bad raps.
Ron would never be a villain. That's against his personality. The only way he will turn villain will under Imperius curse or something.
Anyway, I'm more interest in what will happen to Percy Weasley. Percy Weasley is another unpopular character that I sympathises with a lot. Too lazy to explain here. U can go to here to http://www.spcnet.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=10681&page=4 to see the reason if u want.
"Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends."
"And power-hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition. "
"Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those whose ancestry is purest."
All these points to an evil personality. They will do whatever it takes to achieve their ends, including evil means which they oftendo, they believe having ambition is good but the word before that is power hungry and that means someone who will stop at nothing. And the best indication of their evilness, they believe in purest ancestry, meaning they do not believe in half bloods, mud bloods which means they will eradicate a certain class to make sure they will be the only class left. if these are not evil traits, I don't know what is.
Draco never had any redeeming factors, The movie may have tried to give him that but not in the books. JK Rowling has never meant to make Draco nice or even having the potential of nice. He is supposed to be the direct opposite of Harry thought Harry is mischevious but he is rarely malicious like Draco. The Wesleys twins are not bullies, they're well liked and they love to pull pranks. Bullies are Draco's 2 assistants.
There was some early indication and speculation Ron may be lured to the other side because he was poor. Hopefully not.
I'm sure the people on the receiving end of the Twins' pranks won't feel that way (credit should be given to Nerville for being a good spot). A lot of their pranks are mean-spirited.
Here is an article who explain why the Twins are bullies.
http://www.theennead.com/elkins/hp/archives/000155.html
Please note that I am not influenced by this article. I already feel the twins are bullies before I read this article. But I also can see their good points.
The twins play mean-spirited pranks on people weaker than them. This is a sign of being a bully. But because the twins are such funny characters and so fun to read, people then to overlook their flaws.
Being well-liked and being a bully is not mutually exclusive. You can confine your bullying to a few individuals and treat everyone else nicely, then u can be well-liked and a bully at the same time. Bullying 1 person is still bullying.