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What have you been reading recently? in General
LunaRaven
Apprentice
Member # 16603
 written Monday, April 7 2008 19:58 Profile Homepage #57
quote:
I read "Sword," but found the writing to be abysmal. Thinking I'd give him another shot, I tried "Elfstones" (I think - that's the one with the dying tree, right?), read the first couple of chapters, made a prediction on the ending, verified that I was correct, and that's the last attention I've paid to Terry Brooks' works. If the payoff isn't that great or is pretty obvious, the getting there should at least be worth it, and I found that it wasn't in his writing.
I can understand where you're coming from. If I had first read Mr.Brooks' first three books, I don't think I would have given him much thought or attention afterwards. I was lucky enough to get into his more recent works(I started with his High Druid of Shannara series and worked my way back). His later work is a far greater reflection on his skills as a writer. I finished Elfstones and found it enjoyable yet still painfully predictable(yes, it is the story with the dying tree). I think what helped me to get through it was the knowledge I had of his recent works and how great they turned out to be. If anyone were to want to give Terry Brooks a try, I would recommend starting with the Scions of Shannara and then, if they like his style, read his earlier works for kicks. Having said that, Elfstones was, in my opinion, far superior to Swords in it's writing, structure, and overall plot and character development.

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"Suddenly the darkness shifted anew, and a huge, tattered form that was not quite human, but not quite anything else, rose against the flicker of the firelight. It came together in a slow gathering of shadows, taking shape but not assuming identity, never quite becoming anything recognizable, formed of dreams and nightmares in equal parts.

'What is it?' Quentin Leah whispered.

'Truls Rohk,' Panax breathed softly, and his words were as chill and brittle as ice in deep winter."-Terry Brooks' The Isle Witch, pg.199
Posts: 5 | Registered: Saturday, April 5 2008 07:00
What have you been reading recently? in General
LunaRaven
Apprentice
Member # 16603
 written Sunday, April 6 2008 21:34 Profile Homepage #54
quote:
quote:Originally written by LunaRaven:
I am halfway into Terry Brooks', "Elfstones of Shannara" and I will then move onto it's predecessor, "Wishsong of Shannara". Overall, it's an interesting book. I became a Brooks fan with his recent work, so it is nice to take a step back into time and read his earlier series.

I think you mean the successor, Wishsong. I'm a big fan of the series, myself (it's kind of what kicked me off into the fantasy genre of books). I've found a lot of people don't like them much, though. But Elfstones, I think, is one of the best in the series.
Yes, I did mean successor. Thank you for correcting me. Elfstones of Shannara is shaping up to be far better than The Sword of Shannara in my opinion. Although, in my mind, the Voyage to Jerle Shannara series will always be the best of the Shannara series. Who knows though, Mr.Brooks may produce something even more wondrous in the years to come.

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"Suddenly the darkness shifted anew, and a huge, tattered form that was not quite human, but not quite anything else, rose against the flicker of the firelight. It came together in a slow gathering of shadows, taking shape but not assuming identity, never quite becoming anything recognizable, formed of dreams and nightmares in equal parts.

'What is it?' Quentin Leah whispered.

'Truls Rohk,' Panax breathed softly, and his words were as chill and brittle as ice in deep winter."-Terry Brooks' The Isle Witch, pg.199
Posts: 5 | Registered: Saturday, April 5 2008 07:00
Why can't we just be happy? in General
LunaRaven
Apprentice
Member # 16603
 written Saturday, April 5 2008 18:21 Profile Homepage #57
quote:
I've been noticing how unhappy all the people around me seem to be(both strangers and people I know). I see so many people walking down the street or driving their cars and just glowering. And then in my school when I listen to people's conversations most of them are insulting each other or an absent third party.
So my question is, why can't people be nice to each other? At the very least we could smile at someone we pass on the street. And I wish people could be nice to each other, even if they don't like each other.
I know there's not really an answer to the question "Why can't people be nice and get along" and asking isn't going to change anything, but watching the world like this makes me sad and I don't know what I can do to try and change it.
As nice a sentiment as it may seem, people will never be unconditionally kindhearted and considerate. It is a flaw of human nature, but it is also arguably a trait that makes humans interesting. Don't fear, I’m not going to give you an obscure, philosophical observation and then offer no real answer. Clearly, this question is going to have many different answers depending on the personal characteristics of the writer. I will try to answer as best I can from my perspective. As far as seeing strangers and passerbys glowering or brooding amongst themselves, be understanding and consider multiple possibilities. You really don't know if they are angry, you only base the knowledge on an assumption. At school I continuously face similar assumptions that people just blindly accept as fact. As long as I can remember, people have always been asking if I was sad or angry(although, they were really making a statement of fact rather than a question as they had already made up their minds of what I was and was not). Teachers would constantly talk among themselves, declaring that I may be depressive or have a behavioral problem simply because I did not like to talk. I still don’t like to talk. I’m not shy or timid and I don’t live in an emotional shell, I just do not like to talk. I’ve always been a thinker rather than a speaker. I speak when I feel I can contribute to conversation. Would I be angry? Of course, everyone becomes upset on occasions, some more than others. As a result of people automatically assuming me to be an angry or snobbish person, I never obtained any real human friends during my high school career. I am currently a senior, less than two months from my graduation, and I still have very poor relationships with my classmates. People have thawed over the years, but I’m still the person people will ask for help on assignments, but never asked out to participate in recreational activities. When I am invited, it tends to be because people feel an obligation to invite me, as I have a sibling in the same grade as me who is far more personable. I don’t mind it when a person doesn’t like me. I most certainly do not like everyone I meet. What I do not appreciate is when the reason people stray from me is because of an assumption that became a rumor, a rumor that became idle gossip, and finally a fact of life.

When it comes to students gossiping and putting others down, what can I really write? It’s one of the many ugly and repugnant masks of high school life. Students demean each other because of personal insecurities, un-resolved issues, rumors, and general hate. In my four years of observations, most of those situations are a result of a persons insecurities. If a girl A affronts girl B for being physically unattractive, there is a good chance(at least in my educational environment) that girl A is insecure in her appearance. So, in order to make herself seem prettier by comparison, girl A says, “at least I’m not as (insert derogatory term here) as girl B”.
In other circumstances, girl A could just be a miserable excuse for a living creature. With some, the reason behind the hate and the aversion is more obvious than it is in others. Contrariwise, girl A could have a poor home life and no mature way to vent her anger at her current situation.

Ultimately, what I have been trying to display in these past two hundred words or so is to be understanding. People become angry for different situations. People become cruel for many different reasons as well. Sometimes, the person in question really is a moron. Sometimes, the angry person really is just angry for a reason he or she may not even know. What can you do to try and change the situation? Time for another philosophical thought:

You’ll never be able to change everyone you meet. It is a good thing, a tender and empathic heart. It is not weak, but rather strong and determined. The tender heart, feeling continuous benevolence and worry for it’s fellow hearts, is always seeking an answer. But an answer is not always there to be found.

What you need to do is keep the values you want to instill in others. Smile if you think it will help. Don’t talk poorly of others in attempt to think more highly of yourself. And very importantly, do not base anything purely on assumption. We assume what we don’t know, and we should keep that assumption only until we find the fact.

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"Hurt gives way to bitterness, bitterness gives way to anger. Travel too far down that road and the way is lost."-Terry Brooks, The Elfstones of Shannara, pg.155
Posts: 5 | Registered: Saturday, April 5 2008 07:00
more dumb questions in Avernum 4
LunaRaven
Apprentice
Member # 16603
 written Saturday, April 5 2008 17:20 Profile Homepage #4
I believe that the Stunning Blade was not found in the Motrax Caves, but it was around the general area. I think that you go to the caves, then go back around west. I'm sorry if that doesn't make any sense. but perhaps it will inspire an idea.

[ Saturday, April 05, 2008 17:21: Message edited by: LunaRaven ]

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"Suddenly the darkness shifted anew, and a huge, tattered form that was not quite human, but not quite anything else, rose against the flicker of the firelight. It came together in a slow gathering of shadows, taking shape but not assuming identity, never quite becoming anything recognizable, formed of dreams and nightmares in equal parts.

'What is it?' Quentin Leah whispered.

'Truls Rohk,' Panax breathed softly, and his words were as chill and brittle as ice in deep winter."-Terry Brooks' The Isle Witch, pg.199
Posts: 5 | Registered: Saturday, April 5 2008 07:00
What have you been reading recently? in General
LunaRaven
Apprentice
Member # 16603
 written Saturday, April 5 2008 17:05 Profile Homepage #51
I am halfway into Terry Brooks', "Elfstones of Shannara" and I will then move onto it's predecessor, "Wishsong of Shannara". Overall, it's an interesting book. I became a Brooks fan with his recent work, so it is nice to take a step back into time and read his earlier series.

--------------------
"Suddenly the darkness shifted anew, and a huge, tattered form that was not quite human, but not quite anything else, rose against the flicker of the firelight. It came together in a slow gathering of shadows, taking shape but not assuming identity, never quite becoming anything recognizable, formed of dreams and nightmares in equal parts.

'What is it?' Quentin Leah whispered.

'Truls Rohk,' Panax breathed softly, and his words were as chill and brittle as ice in deep winter."-Terry Brooks' The Isle Witch, pg.199
Posts: 5 | Registered: Saturday, April 5 2008 07:00