http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:JemimaAslana&section=today deviantART RSS for by:JemimaAslana en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:18:19 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/25621507/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/25621507/ Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:54:36 PDT

I know there's next to no activity here, but I'm no dead. Nor have I fallen off the face of the Earth. I just happen to be going along some seriously rocky terrain in my life and that takes up most of my attention - no, it does in fact take up all of it. I eat, sleep and work, and that's pretty much it.

Life sucks right now. It sucks so much I wouldn't even have the energy to write emo poetry if I wanted to. Good thing I don't - that's one thing less I'm unable to accomplish, now I can just worry about the many others.

Proud member of:
High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/16711614/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/16711614/ Sun, 03 Feb 2008 17:36:33 PST

My favourite judge on American Idol has been Simon Cowell all the time. I like him, you get the truth from him. No waffling about making excuses for not actually telling it like it is like Paula, bless her heart, does. Paula does a fine job of being nice to everybody, even those who couldn't sing to save their lives, and there are astounding amounts of those it would seem. That's all well and good, nice is grand, but the contest is about singing and performing, about having talent and presence on stage. There are many factors and if you have none of them you don't belong in the competition. Heck even if you do have one or two of them you still don't belong in the competition, because they're looking for contestants who have it all.

And that's why I like Cowell. He's blunt. I like blunt. People who know won't be surprised to hear that. I would much rather people tell me the truth, than having them blow sunshine up my arse where it does absolutely no good. Sunshine's fine, but not there.

I do the same for others. And yet I always go by the famous rule: If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. I never give a critique that doesn't point out good points. NEVER! I always make sure to let the artist know what's good about their work. Being told what not to do is all well and good, but if you're not told what to do instead it's useless. I know this, and I've sworn to never make the mistake my phonetics professor made. "You get in trouble when transcribing vowel sounds." was her feedback to me on a transcription assignment. And what could I say? Ehhh thanks for nothing, I think. How about telling me what's wrong with my transcribed vowel sounds? How about telling me what I should do to improve? Nope, apparently she thought it was enough to point out that I ought to improve, but not how. I eventually identified the problem myself and fixed it, after which I pretty much coached half my class through their vowel sounds. What if our professor has actually TAUGHT us? Outlandish thought, I know. Could be the reason two thirds of the class failed the exam.

But I digress.

That instance and several others have taught me a lot about feedback and its most useful shapes. Have I ever received good feedback? Oh yes, once in a rare while it comes along. I had one comment with really useful feedback (primarily corrections) on my Sonnet IV. I remember getting some really useful feedback one time on fanfiction.net. Just once in the 4 years I was there. And I had semi-useful feedback when I submitted a poem of mine to a club on dA specifically requesting feedback. Much of it was useless because at least one of the critis hadn't even read the rhythm in the poem right. Pointing out in the comments that it was written in dactyls apparently hadn't done an ounce of difference, and so there were suggestions for word replacements based on a flawed reading of them poem. Utterly useless, that part was.

That's three instances. THREE!!! And I've been on fanfiction.net for many years, I had works up there for about 4 years. And I've been on dA for 2 years. That amount of criticism is... pitiful to say the least. I am not here to harvest the adoration of the masses - good thing too, 'cause I'd fail miserably, I am here to become a better poet/writer. I leave thorough critiques on other people's works, when I find works that I think are great and have the potential to become truly awesome with a few tweaks and such. And if I'm unsure of the reception a critique might get I leave the less heavy bits of it and offer a more complete one should the artist wish it. So far some artists have gotten back to me, requesting I go over their work, and I will do so, pointing out the good things they ought to hold on to, and the bad things they ought to change.

Others don't get back to me and we don't have any further communication after that.

Looking through the comments I've received on my works over the past two years here there are a few more critiques that actually go in-depth with my work. But for some reason I don't remember them. I'm fairly certain that the reason is this: they didn't suggest any changes or improvements. At most they spotted a typo. Those that stick in my memory are those I had to think about in the implementation.

And this from a poet who consistently places Advanced Critique Encouraged on her works. Not a whole lot of good that did me. It's a fancy little thing, that critique note one can set when posting works. I wonder how many people actually use it...

I know I often don't even read the author's comments till after I've read and critiqued. Sometimes I read... ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/14755552/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/14755552/ Sun, 10 Feb 2008 13:30:38 PST

Just an entry to keep a list of my works in progress. I intend to update this one when stuff is posted.


Roadkill. Idea to be developed.
When First the Wyvern Flew. Short story prequel for the character from NWN named Wyvern. To be recreated.
Thunder Cycle trio of poems Has been finished
Ethelheart. The 50+ verse pseudo medieval ballad I had finished needs to be recreated.
Secret Pages. Poem in the rhyme/rhythm scheme of the Raven. To be recreated and finished. In progress.
Voices. To be recreated Has been written
Columns. To be written.
Music of the Spheres. To be written.
Glitterdust. To be written.
Phaerie Fire. To be written.
Entangle. To be written.
Wrack. To be written.
Crystalbrittle Done and posted. Needs feedback and editing.
Chapter 2 of my PotC fanfic. To be recreated and finished. In progress
Knife of Beauty. Short story to be recreated and finished.
Morana. Character profile for D&D character. To be finished.
My setting. Needs no further comments.
Moira. Character profile for D&D character. To be recreated and finished.
Shadowrun campaign. To be written. In progress.
Book reviews galore. Constant item.
Jem's Story. To be finished.
Bruised Rouge. Short story. To be recreated and finished.

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High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/14532163/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/14532163/ Fri, 07 Sep 2007 15:00:16 PDT

I have a new computer. Thanks to my brother some family and friends got together to help me pay for it.

I will be working on reconstructing the works I had in progress when my comp and poetry book were stolen. It wil take a while to get it all done, but hopefully I should be able to present something soonish.

My current projects include:

Chapter 2 of my PotC fanfic
A Thunder/Storm cycle (same style as my other weather poems)
Secret Pages (My attempt at writing in the same rhyme an rhythm scheme as The Raven by Poe.)
Ethelheart (My 'medieval' ballad that had come up to 50-some verses when my book was lost to me)

Those four are my main things right now, though as my writing picks up again (which I hope it will very soon), more will be added I'm sure.

I'll see y'all around.

Proud member of:
High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/13482078/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/13482078/ Mon, 25 Jun 2007 07:36:30 PDT

I had 4 poems written in my notebook, ready for posting. I was working on the next couple of chapters for my PotC fanfic.

But disaster, as the headline says, struck.

My bag was stolen.

My computer, my poetry notebook, my wallet. Everything. Stolen by a filthy little drug addict who needed cash for his next fix.

The SoB most likely sold the comp within 30 minutes of stealing it, so now I'm advertising in the local newspaper in the hopes that I can buy it back from someone.

I am utterly devastated by having lost all my work. Everything. I can't even soothe my spirit with music as my computer also functioned as my cd-player, as well as my DVD player. I am lost, depressed, and as angry as ever.

I swear if I ever see the prat again (yes, I saw him) I'll wring his neck. Twice over and then drown him in the lake. And maybe rip him to bits for good measure. In fact I think he'll star as a torture victim in the next bit I write for my PotC fanfic. Might help me a bit.

Before I write anything at all, though I need something to write on. And having no computer... and currently not even owning a single pencil (My doggone pencil case was in that bag, too - ARGH!) that's a mite difficult.

Meh.

Updates might turn up... by chance... or a miracle. Though I'd be very surprised if the next poem I write will be at all suitable for posting anywhere but on Sadists Anonymous or it'll be wallowing in self-pity. Either way, I'll probably shred it after writing it.

[Gollum]

"The thievesssss! The filthy little thievessssss! They ssssstole my preciousssss!"

[/Gollum]

*kills something*

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High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/13089495/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/13089495/ Fri, 25 May 2007 13:55:57 PDT

Yeah, I haven't been able to finish and post as much as I'd hoped to.

I know.

I blame my life. It suddenly went all busy and stuff The satirical show I work at every summer is currently in intense rehearsal mode. We have an audience for the first time on Monday so and we take the first complete run-through with all costumes and props tomorrow. Here's hoping for something good to come of it. We've had no sound tests yet, because the theatre tent hasn't been fully established with furniture yet, and we can't set proper sound before the locale is fully established. They're doing the lights tonight - if all goes well.

It's my birthday on Wednesday. That is also the day I pick up the keys to my new flat. The day after, namely Thursday, we have the official opening night with the show after having had previews the three preceding nights. The opening night usually ends with a party with all ze famouz peoplez. And the next morning I have to be at my new flat at 7.30 to take the technician visit that will move my phone connection to there. And I'll spend all of Friday moving the biggest of my belongings along with my mum and bro. And show in the evening, of course. What's worse is that once my landline has been moved I won't have internet anymore. That won't be established at my new place till much later in June. So I'll be without internet for almost all of June.

But I'll live. I hope. I'll be moving most of my stuff the 2nd and 3rd, and the 4th I should hopefully be ready to start my new job. If not it'll be postponed to he 11th. That's alright. June will be a very heavily booked month for me.

But I'll be back. I vow to return with a vengeance

Proud member of:
High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/12675327/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/12675327/ Sat, 21 Apr 2007 02:26:21 PDT

... is made.

I have decided to drop out of university. I will file the papers next week. I made the decision late Thursday night, and all of Friday I was in a better mood than I've been in a long time. Told my folks Friday morning.

My main hurry right now is to start packing up and then actually finding somewhere to move. I can only stay a limited number of weeks in my flat when I've stopped studying. I think it's 6 weeks, I shall have to check up on it.

I spent Thursday afternoon at the castle; something I haven't done in too long. It is still the place that provides me with the best atmosphere for inspiration. I managed to double the number of verses in my Danish medieval style ballad.

I will be posting it here as soon as it's finished. I might even post it as a WiP and let you (those among you who understand Danish at least) have a little influence on how the ending should be. I know, plot-wise how it will end, but I can write that ending happy as well as sad - we'll see.

Either ways, expect 'stuff' from me in not too long.

My energy and enthusiasm is returning already and I'm frankly looking forward to getting back in the drill with writing a little every day.

Blessed be!

Proud member of:
High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/12588954/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/12588954/ Sat, 14 Apr 2007 03:10:28 PDT

Some of you have asked me when you'll see new works from me.

It may be soon, it may be a while. I'm struggling with some personal problems these days. I'm trying to figure out what to do with myself and my life. I thought I knew, but new info I received earlier this spring has made me very much in doubt as to what I'm going to do. The things I thought I wanted to do no longer seem appealing. The education I'm on can no longer offer what I'd hoped to gain from it. All in all I'm in need of rethinking everything right now.

I'm trying to decide whether to quit my education. When I do that I won't get financial support from the state anymore, of course, but thankfully I have a job on hand that will provide the money to keep me fed and clothed and sheltered. So that part is no disaster.

I'll start that job anyway come summer, since I need to take a break from the education system. I need to get out in the real world and do something real for a change.

My problem currently lies in whether or not to even finish my BA this summer. I won't be able to get the good marks I've come through with in the past 2½ years. I have neither the energy nor the enthusiasm. I've burned out concerning this.

I can drop out and start the job earlier than planned. I can also keep fighting and finish the semester with marks I won't be happy with anyway, but at least I'll be done.

I don't know what to do. Thinking and worrying over this decision that needs to be made asap has brought back the depression I was otherwise doing quite well at fighting off. I am still writing, but most of the stuff I write in a fit of depression or even self-pity is mostly utter crap and not even worth improving for posting it here. That's why you haven't heard from me lately.

Additionally, I've begun to put in some more work in my setting. It doesn't demand that I write of emotions or such things and that means I can keep my own emotions at a distance while writing.

That setting should hopefully one day become the background of a fantasy novel (or more) and an RP setting to boot. as long as I'm studying, however, I won't have neither the time nor the energy to get any work of any significance done. This summer when I start a job at which I'll be off-duty when I leave the workplace (as opposed to studying, which is not scheduled work), I'll hopefully be able to find the energy to put in some real work in the pastime I'll have for the first time in years.

I have several major works in progress. Epic poems of one kind or the others - some in Danish some in English. They *will* be finished at some point, but for now I can't even tell when there might be a chance of that.

I have so many ideas I want to get out there and down on paper (or a screen in the case of dA), but the way my life looks right now I'm using up all my energy to just keep going. This is not a situation I can maintain for very long - so a decision will need to be made. Hopefully I'll be able to sometime next week, after a weekend with a friend away from it all.

I generally do not post majorly personal things on here, but Iøve decided to make an exception for this. The reason is simple: I break down in tears every time I have to tell the story and line up the problem, and though they are few, people on dA do from time to time ask me why they haven't seen anything new from me for a while.

Well, here's the reason.

Wish me clarity to find out what's the best decision and the strength to make that decision.

Thank you for your understanding.

Proud member of: *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10558443/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10558443/ Fri, 11 May 2007 03:20:17 PDT

Just putting together a list of things to do. A list for my own benefit so's to give me an overview of.... things. As well as to look back in 6 months and see how little I've actually gotten done

A. Write a crow poem for =Princess-of-Shadows's contest. Contest closed ahead of schedule. *is very annoyed that time and effort was wasted*
B. Get some actual work done on my setting
B.a. Develop the Dreamweaver and the Dreamwalkers
B.b. Develop the structure of magic in the world
B.c. Develop the deity for memory and especially the history of the establishment of her temple.
C. Finish my pseudo-medieval ballad about Ethelheart written to a Danish medieval ballad melody. It's done, it only needs a bit of editing.
D. Finish that poem I started as an experiment in terms of literary references. I should probably set up a contest with a prize for the person who can find all the references.
E. Finish Secret Pages, my attempt at writing a poem with the rhyme scheme of Poe's The Raven.
F. Decide whether my poem Music of the Spheres is done or not, I've struggled with it for over a year now.
G. Get back to my poem called Fear and see if I have even the slightest wish to actually finish it. I didn't...
H. Review my poem Requiem and see if it has a chance of going beyond the exercise in adjectives it ended up looking like. And if not, scrap it and stop thinking about it. Project abandoned as 'hopeless case'.
I. Get that Danish ballad written I started in early July. It has potential to sound really good and I'd hate to just leave it alone to die a quiet death. It has been posted
J. Write that short story called Knife of Beauty I had an idea for. Especially since I got some really useful input from ~IshanDionesian that shaped the idea very nicely. Now I 'just' need to write it.
K. Finish writing my story-format profile for my Alternity character. The GM got what he wanted but my inner writer wants to make Jur'rei'hsath's profile more complete.
L. Think up a suitable profile for my AD&D character. Same issue as above, though Taika has even less of a background story than Rei does.
M. Complete the icky character background of my D&D character Morana. I have never been so squicked out by something I've written myself. Though...I guess it *is* a good sign that necrophilia does that to me.
N. Write my D&D character Moira's background out in story format. I have some ideas for wonderful scenes written down, but as with most of my other ideas they haven't been acted on yet.
O. Continue my project of putting together all my short stories of Jemima Aslana and make a complete story of her - my friends have been clamouring for that story for... well... ages. And I never got very far with it. Bloody big project too, the short stories are from my more productive years in the prose department.
P. Work on my poem called The Shady Brook, it's been ages...
Q. Finish my horror/mindfuck scenario the concept of which is based on a friend's weird nightmare-ish dream.
R. Write my assignments for university... or at least decide on title and bibliographies... Did so, new ones coming up...
S. Update my book review blog. I'm several books behind on that one. Updated, still behind, though...
T. Get better at updating my LiveJournal. I tend to neglect it at times. Have gotten better at it - yay!
U. Read more poetry.
V. Take the time to properly critique more poems on dA and elsewhere.
W. Decide on an actual detailed plot for the novel project I've had in the works for years. The overall plot has been decided for ages, but I haven't gotten anything but lone-standing scenes writren down since I haven't actually finished the setting yet.
X. Translate the RP scenario The Ark to English.
Y. Write Voices. I had a good idea - let's see what I can make of it.
Z. Write a Shadowrun campaign.

Sheesh... I did run out of letters... Ah well, I can't think of anything more to write anyway Well I probably could but I figured I'd only include projects and ideas I am already into developing/writing.<... ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10477851/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10477851/ Sun, 22 Oct 2006 15:44:49 PDT and

The rules:

* List 11 things you want to say to 11 different people.

* Don't say who they pertain to.

* Feel free to comment, but don't confirm or answer anything.

* Never discuss it again.

*********************************************

Here goes.

1. I wish you would leave me the hell alone and stop attempting to get me to forgive you. You had your many chances and you blew them all. It's too late for forgiveness; you caused me too much grief, and you're not making it better by trying to poison my friends against me nor by trying to get my personal information out of said friends.

2. You fascinate me, you scare me, you confuse me, you comfort me, you worry me, you thrill me, I have no idea how to handle the conundrum that is you. I hope we will one day figure out what we are.

3. You've worried me greatly, but it seems things are going better now. I truly hope that my presence will not ruin everything you've worked for.

4. I hope you can manage the goals you set for yourself. They were not modest, but I know you have the talent to succeed. I hope that you also have the strength.

5. You seriously need to stand up for yourself more adamantly. Even those you call friends have a tendency to exploit your kindness. Don't do that to yourself as it will merely lose you said friends, no one can respect a doormat.

6. You're a sweet and fun person. I like you, I sincerely hope you and I will never be rivals. Chances are small as things are now, but you never know.

7. I gave you support when you needed it. In return you abandoned me when I needed you, you ignored me when I was crying, and even after offering your help you merely turned your back. I will never forgive your immature kindergarten-behaviour, thankfully, when you return to here, I will have left.

8. I'm sorry we talk so little these days. I hope both our busy lives will sooner or later settle down so we can have some more of our chats. Sometimes I need your presence quite badly.

9. You're a darling, beautiful and sweet. I could easily fall for you, but you are far too young and probably don't swing my way anyway, so we shall remain as friends. Whatever happes don't let the guy blind you.

10. You're charming, yes, but you're also arrogant and conceited. I hope you realised how serious I was the other day when I told you that your behaviour annoyed me. I don't want *you* to change, I like your quirks, but a little more respect for others and a little less acting so full of yourself would be awfully good for your attitude.

11. You are such a sweet person, I honestly wonder what you're doing with that guy. He doesn't treat you right and you deserve far better. But it's none of my business so I'll let you figure it out for yourself. I just hope it happens before you're in for too big a hurt.

******************

There we are

Proud member of:
High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10354676/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10354676/ Wed, 11 Oct 2006 04:10:44 PDT
I have no insurance that could cover this, and most likely the church's insurance won't cover it either. My last hope is that the Church Council will have mercy on their choir and pay us at least some reimbursement for what we lost. The theft has been reported to the police so hopefully something might come of that, but it's doubtful.

That phone held my calendar and it also served as my watch. So now I don't know where I'm supposed to be nor when I'm supposed to be there, and I can't call to re-confirm any appointments because of my phone with its phonebook being gone.

Only those few numbers I could look up in the city phone registry could be saved... but everything else... I just have to wait for people to randomly call my landline (if they have that number - but at least it's in the registry).

Amazing how helpless one can feel without a mobile phone. I never thought it'd happen to me, I'm a great 'disliker' of that kind of technologitis, but sheesh... it creeps up on you and before you know it you're depending on it.

Major suckage and thus major bad mood on this end.

Proud member of:
High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10269346/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10269346/ Tue, 03 Oct 2006 09:31:04 PDT
1. What time did you wake up this morning?
At 7.30 according to my alarm.

2. Diamonds or Pearls?
Books

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
PotC 2

4. What is your favorite TV show?
Mythbusters

5. What did you have for breakfast?
yoghurt and muesli

6. What is your middle name?
None of anyone's business

7. What is your favorite cuisine?
One in which they can figure out how to fry a steak red. Not well-done but red. Too many chefs seem to be colour-blind.

8. What foods do you dislike?
None, really...

9. What's your favorite potato chip? Sunchips, or Cheetos
Liquorice

10. What is your favorite CD at the moment?
Cradem Aventure - Alles Gut, Virelai - Havmandens Kys and Exilia - Unleashed

11. What kind of car do you drive?
My mum's.

12. Favorite sandwich?
Roast beef with everything it entails

13. What characteristics do you despise?
Cocksureness, cockiness, and liars

14. Favorite item of clothing?
My short black dress with sleeves bigger than the dress itself.

15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation,
Someplace with culture to be gawked at: museums, architecture, a town/city with a History.

16. What color is your bathroom?
Greyish-white..... whiteish-grey?

17. What's your favorite brand of clothing?
Something that costs less than a 10th of what D&G costs.

18. Where would you like to retire to?
The afterlife - I'm a writer. As long as I can hold a pen I'm good. The moment I can't hold a pen anymore - I'll die.

19. Favorite time of day?
ehhh nighttime?

20. Where were you born?
In a nondescript hospital in Denmark, that has since been remodelled to university where I'm now taking classes.

21. Favorite sport to watch?
Formula 1. It's a very soothing sound to relax to. And once in a while you get lucky and see a spectacular accident.

***21.5*** Favorite Sport to Play?
Does not apply...

22. Who do you least expect to send this back?
[Jem’s been pretty quiet lately… ]Yeah, I seldom respond to what is essentially spam and quite impersonal. I'm responding to this just be spiteful,
and I'm not sending it to anyone but you, since I won't flood my friends' inboxes with this.

So to reply: Does not apply...

23. Person you expect to send it back first?
Does not apply...

24. What laundry detergent do you use?
Minirisk

25. Coke or Pepsi?
Pepsi Max

26. Are you a morning person or night owl?
Night owl

27. What size shoe do you wear?
35-37 depending on the model

28 Do you have pets?
No

29. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with everyone?
I've got a shiny new and HUGE bill from my dentist, anyone care to share it with me?

30. What did you want to be when you were little?
A harpist, a fighter pilot, a vet, a lawyer and now I want to be a professor of English. Yes, this response is valid... I'm still little.

31. Favorite Candy Bar?
winegums

32. What is your best childhood memory?
Best?

33. What are the different jobs you have had in your life?
Telemarketeer, choirist, paper'boy', teacher

35. Nicknames?
Jem (preferred), Jemi (will get people killed)

36. Piercing?
Both ears

38. Ever been to Africa?
Never

39. Ever been toilet papering?
Eh?

41. Been in a car accident?
Yes

42. Croutons or bacon bits?
As accessories to what? Soup? Salad?

43. Favorite day of the week?
Friday

44. Favorite restaurant?
Bella Italia - the only place in town to serve deep fried camembert. Yes, I checked

45. What is your favorite flower?
Rose

46. Favorite ice cream?
Straciatella

47. Disney or Warner Bro's?
Random House Publishing

48. Favorite fast food restaurant?
Mario's Pizza. It may not claim to be fast food but I've waited longer at Burger King's than I ever have at Mario's.
Besides, Mario is the god of all pizzas.

49. What color is your bedroom carpet?
Carpet? I have a wooden floor...

50. How many times did you fail your driver's test?
None. I was one of the... ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10235531/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10235531/ Sat, 30 Sep 2006 10:30:43 PDT
Robert Frost - Acquainted With the Night

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain - and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.
I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
One luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

Proud member of:
High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10191918/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10191918/ Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:34:32 PDT
William Blake - A Poison Tree

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe;
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I water'd it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with my smiles
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole
When the night had veil'd the pole:
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretch'd beneath the tree

Proud member of:
High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10090220/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10090220/ Sat, 16 Sep 2006 11:05:31 PDT
So I bring thee: William Wordsworth's Lucy Gray

Oft I had heard of Lucy Gray:
And, when I crossed the wild,
I chanced to see at break of day
The solitary child.

No mate, no comrade Lucy knew;
She dwelt on a wide moor,
--The sweetest thing that ever grew
Beside a human door!

You yet may spy the fawn at play,
The hare upon the green;
But the sweet face of Lucy Gray
Will never more be seen.

"To-night will be a stormy night--
You to the town must go;
And take a lantern, Child, to light
Your mother through the snow."

"That, Father! will I gladly do:
'Tis scarcely afternoon--
The minster-clock has just struck two,
And yonder is the moon!"

At this the Father raised his hook,
And snapped a faggot-band;
He plied his work;--and Lucy took
The lantern in her hand.

Not blither is the mountain roe:
With many a wanton stroke
Her feet disperse the powdery snow,
That rises up like smoke.

The storm came on before its time:
She wandered up and down;
And many a hill did Lucy climb:
But never reached the town.

The wretched parents all that night
Went shouting far and wide;
But there was neither sound nor sight
To serve them for a guide.

At day-break on a hill they stood
That overlooked the moor;
And thence they saw the bridge of wood,
A furlong from their door.

They wept--and, turning homeward, cried,
"In heaven we all shall meet;"
--When in the snow the mother spied
The print of Lucy's feet.

Then downwards from the steep hill's edge
They tracked the footmarks small;
And through the broken hawthorn hedge,
And by the long stone-wall;

And then an open field they crossed:
The marks were still the same;
They tracked them on, nor ever lost;
And to the bridge they came.

They followed from the snowy bank
Those footmarks, one by one,
Into the middle of the plank;
And further there were none!

--Yet some maintain that to this day
She is a living child;
That you may see sweet Lucy Gray
Upon the lonesome wild.

O'er rough and smooth she trips along,
And never looks behind;
And sings a solitary song
That whistles in the wind.

Proud member of:
High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10036808/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/10036808/ Mon, 11 Sep 2006 07:58:48 PDT 's journal. She tagged everyone who read it, so here I am...

If I were a month I would be January. Dark and often stormy, all the parties and merrymaking are left behind. Full of bleakness and stress.

If I were a day of the week I would be Friday. Named after a goddess, and always there for the end-of-week drink

If I were a time of day I would be 1 AM. The darkest hour, plus I'm a bit of a night owl, more often than not burning the midnight oil.

If I were a planet I would be Pluto. Not really a planet anyway and thus doesn't fit in

If I were a sea animal I would be a great whale of sorts. No other animal has such beautiful and seemingly mournful song.

If I were a direction I would be North. Cold, aloof, distant...

If I were a mythical creature I would be a succubus. Or vampire. Pick one.

If I were a musical instrument I would be a bagpipe. Loud, obnoxious, shameless, impressive and sometimes bloody frightening.

If I were an animal I would be a snake. Sneaky, deceptive, smooth, disliked by many.

If I were a color I would be black or silver.

If I were an emotion I would be disdain.

If I were a vegetable I would be an.... I have no idea.

If I were a sound I would be a snort. Because I snort when people say things I find ridiculous. They won't be in doubt as to what I think of it.

If I were an element I would be water. Adaptable in all situations, I will always get through whatever it is.

If I were a car I would be a Lamborghini Diablo. Yeah right, I wish. More like a Ford Ka, small and wide around the hips...

If I were a song I would be Zauber der Harfe by Cradem Aventure or Allegria by Cirque de Soleil.

If I were a movie I would be X-men.

If I were a book I would be Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, because it's confusing, surreal and makes no sense to anyone but itself. Yep, that's me.

If I were a food I would be pasta carbonara. Cheesy...

If I were a place I would be Koldinghus, the old castle in my town.

If I were a taste I would be lemon.

If I were a scent I would be... ehhh I never use perfume anyway. I suppose Freya comes closest, though. If I were a smell, I'd be the smell of old ink on old paper - old books mmmmm...

If I were a religion I would be *censored* because it's *censored* and *censored*.

If I were a word I would be 'juxtaposition' or 'omphaloskepsis'.

If I were a body part I would be a set of lips. I know I like mine

If I were a facial expression I would be looking sideways at someone with one eyebrow raised. That's my general attitude to... everything.

If I were a subject in school I would be Linguistics and/or Philology. Scientific and yet not quite. Historical and yet not quite. Anthropological and yet not quite... I love it.

If I were a cartoon character I would be Rei from Neon Genesis Evangelion or Marrow from X-men.

If I were a shape I would be a circle. So simple and yet such a puzzling nature.

If I were a number I would be 13. Because it makes you wonder if there *is* such a thing as an unlucky number.

If I were an item of clothing I would be hand/armwarmers. Because I have an affinity for such things.

If I were a piece of jewelery I would be a dragon pendant.

If I were a clothing accessory I would be a leather pouch medieval style.

Proud member of: http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/9886267/ Mon, 28 Aug 2006 15:27:24 PDT

Whats your name spelt backwards? analsaamimej

What did you do last night? Talk to a friend about my problems with another friend.

The last thing you downloaded onto your computer? Pictures of the hot men from the band Cradem Aventure *grin*

Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery? Nope

Last time you swam in a pool? ... That's a long time ago... *thinks* a few years, I think. I honestly don't remember.

What are you wearing? Dressing gown - I'm technically on my way to bed.

How many cars have you owned? None

Type of music you dislike most? Any kind of music when it's badly performed - I'm not very picky, I do prefer quality, though.

Do you have cable? Yes

What kind of computer do you use? PC put together from 'birth' by the local comp pusher, and added to by my IT savvy brother.

Ever made a prank phone call? Nope. I've been prank-called, though. And I've hated the perpetrators ever since. They still haven't figured out who took revenge on them. *evil grin*

You like anyone right now? Yes.

Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? I'd love to go sky diving. Not too sure about bungee jumping - seems to me it's easier to stick a knitting needle in my ear for the same effect.

Furthest place you ever traveled? Italy, San Gimignano

What's your favorite comic strip? Egoland, Homo Metropolis

Do you know all the words to the national anthem? Yes

Shower, morning or night? Depends on the night's activities and the day's activities

Best movie you've seen in the past month? Ehhh the only move I've seen in the past month is Once Upon a Time in Mexico... I suppose that'd be it, then. Only good thing about it was Depp's ability to have had his eyes cut out, have blood running all over his face and still look sexy as f*ck.

Favorite pizza toppings? At least 4 kinds of cheese - I'm a cheesy kind of person

Chips or popcorn? Depends on the occasion.

What cell phone provider do you have? Telmore

Have you ever smoked peanut shells? That'd be a no. I've never smoked anything. Well, I've smoked an opponent in a debate, but that was a verbal smoking...

Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? Nope. Wouldn't want to either.

Orange Juice or apple? Both Not at the same time, though

Who were the last people you sat at lunch with? The friend I went to a medieval estival with this weekend.

Your favorite chocolate bar? None.

Who is your longest friendship been with and for how long? No friendship of mine has lasted longer than three years. Sure, I've talked to some people for a long time, but I consider them acquaintancesrather than friends.

Last time you ate a homegrown tomato? *thinks* When did mum last grow tomatos... four years ago, I think.

Have you ever won a trophy? Yes

Favorite arcade game? None

Ever ordered from an infomercial? Nope

Sprite or 7-UP? Orange juice

Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work? Never - unless you count the t-shirts we used in the church choir I used to sing in.

Last thing you bought at Walgreens? Never been there - has to do with not living in the country where they exist.

Ever thrown up in public? Define public... With the meaning I think it has - it's a no.

Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love? Millionaire, definitely. I don't believe in 'true love'.

Do you believe in love at first sight? No. I believe in attraction at first sight; and infatuation. Love needs time to grow.

SpongeBob OR Jimmy Neutron? Neither. I'd rather dig out my left eye with a rusty spoon.

Did you have long hair as a young kid? Yes, I've been switching between short crop and letting it grow all my life.

What message is on your voicemail machine? The standard message from the company - I haven't bothered to change it.

Where would you like to go right now? Back to 1300 AD and continue the weekend's festival. Need more mead and more men clad in leather mmmmm nice view.

Whats the name of your pet? I have none. My mum's dog is called Kian,... ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/9658203/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/9658203/ Wed, 09 Aug 2006 02:13:50 PDT LordGonz came up with a really good idea, and we need your support for it. It will involve many people. Basically it's a project to make an introduction to dA, and then have it translated to as many languages as we can find represented here - we'll need members for that.

Its purpose is to help alleviate whatever problems non-native speakers of English might have when first trying to find their way around dA. The site is big and it can be majorly confusing if you're not good at English.

If this has caught your eye please go here [link] and read more about the idea and let us know what you think.

Proud member of:
High Priest of: ~CthulhuCultists ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/9585321/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/9585321/ Thu, 03 Aug 2006 07:39:54 PDT
This slow, meticulous method of introducing (almost) all of the circumstances before telling the central story seems very slow and may even appear dull at times, but this is not the case, because as in real life there is not just one story taking place at a given time, there are many stories woven together, and while we're told the tale of a certain civil servant or landlady, it is easy to forget the story advertised on the back cover, simply because Dostoyevsky tells all the tales with equal care and attention to detail. It also means that whenever there is a development in the community the story takes place in, the reader will start guessing, what different characters might think of it, and often the guesses will be right. This is a very important point when we get to the main plot.

Having read the book over such a long period of time but evenso without losing track of the many characters and plots is a testament to how thoroughly the tales are told. They remain with the reader long after reading has ended, otherwise my attention would have wavered long ago. It didn't, and I'm sure that it shall remain with me for quite some time yet.

Dostoyevsky touches on so many things in The Brothers Karamazov, but it is the question of guilt, conscience and atonement that stands out. It says on the back of the book that it is all about finding out who killed the father Karamazov, but he is not killed till quite late in the book. Knowing that it'll happen does not ruin anything however. I spent a good part of the book trying to figure out who might end up killing him, and even in the moment of the murder I was unsure of exactly what happened. Everyone and his dog has a motive, and yet no one, really, is a plausible killer - until the investigation starts unearthing things. Not so much the investogation carried out by the prosecution, but more the investigation carried out by Dostoyevsky into the depths of psychology, emotions and reasoning. This is what I mean with the reader also guessing about the characters, I had my own theories as to what exactly happened regarding the murder, and it is really quite a fantastic set-up, to lure the reader into drawing their own conclusions. This also entails that at the trial when two people, the prosecutor and the defense attorney, present their psychological 'evidence' as to why one person did this and not that. Because of my extensive knowledge of the people in question I wanted to scream at them to face reality, but on the other hand: with what they knew their theories were quite sound even. This way, the book is a thorough demonstration of how the facts we have access to may lead us to conclusions that are completely wrong, even though the facts are correct. There are even things the reader does not become entirely certain of, what exactly the course of events were is never fully revealed and is left to the reader to decide. And many decisions are possible.

Psychology holds a strong position in this novel, the entire novel is basically a study of the human psyche and its many facets as well as the many directions people might take - even if they started from the same point. It is this thorough delving into the minds of the characters that makes ot stay with the reader, even though there have been weeks between some of my sittings I have still grived with the characters, I have cried for the dead, and I have laughed at the ridiculous antics of others, while the plot action-wise is nothing special this book does not exist for the sake of that plot but only to investigate and experience the many aspects of guilt and responsibility and Dostoyesvky does it so well.

*JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/9361175/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/9361175/ Thu, 13 Jul 2006 04:33:56 PDT
Feist's writing is a pleasant change from the rather simple writing that has a tendency to hold a lot of ground in the fantasy genre. His is descriptive and actually gives you a good feel of the places he introduces; a very commendable feat. You don't get the feeling he's talking down to you in childish language like you do with so many others. He simply tells his story as he wants to tell it, and that makes it worth a read.

To be frank, I was disappointed, but mostly because I had been given the impression that this book was the oracle of fantasy on a higher literary level. It is not. While Feist is indeed good he is not as special as some would have me believe. But looking beyond that initial disappointment that he wasn't what I'd been promised he was I greatly enjoyed the book.

Feist manages to introduce not one but two worlds and he actually manages to make them both fairly convincing in their society structure. However, this incredible amount of work it takes to present the reader with two worlds sadly take away from character development. The book is called Magician so when we at the beginning are introduced to the boy, Pug, who has a strange kind of magical powers it is fairly clear that this is Feist's intended main character.

Along the way though still fairly early in the novel the boy Tomas also takes up the mantle of main character. The two boys are friends, have grown up as brothers, and while Pug is the smallish boy with some magic talent Tomas is the big guy with a penchant for winning the fights he gets into. Two (more or less) opposite views on the world, and this works fine - at first. As the story unfolds and the impressively grand plot is unveiled, Pug ends up alone on his own personal adventure that, while he is more or less solo, still has consequences for the two worlds. The same goes for Tomas, he experiences something very unique that gives him am equally unique advantage.

War is tearing the boys' homeland and world apart, and they both play a part in the resolution of the conflict, however, as Feist all the time makes a point of describing the lands our friends move through he is suddenly at a loss when he has sent off both Pug and Tomas to their individual and very unique destinies. Feist suddenly had no main character through whose eyes he could describe what the war did to the lands. And thus a third character becomes a main characrer of sorts, in order to have some eyes back at home.

This may sound a bit confusing - it is really not that bad. My complaint about this is that from the book's title I was of the impression that Pug would be the main character and I had an expectation of getting to know him over the course of the book. I didn't. On the blurb it is expressed that both Tomas and Pug are main characters, but I don't really get to know Tomas either. The only character I feel I know is the third main character who at first wasn't really intended to be one (or so it seemed).

It is fairly plain to me why the book had this outcome. As stated: Feist introduces two worlds in one and the same novel. That's a lot. And as he seems to be very conscious of making the worlds convincing it takes quite a bit of space to do so. This takes away from how much space can be used for character development, though, so that is what our friends suffer from - lack of space, plain and simple.

Magician is the first book of a series so at least the next books will not suffer from the introduction of two completely new settings, so I have hopes that they will show more character development than I've seen in Magician. Seeing as the setting has already been introduced and described quite thoroughly there is no excuse for not making deep and convincing characters in the sequels.

All in all Magician is a good book. It is epic fantasy and it is in quite good shape, the only actualt drawback is the lack of character development, but if one can live without a lot of weight on that aspect there's no reason to stay away from this book. The action scenes are a joy to read, and descriptions of places and scenery are very engaging. This makes the book highly recommendable, though I will not say it's among he best ever. I've read better books, but I have most certainly read many more worse books.

Proud member of: http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/9361151/ Thu, 13 Jul 2006 04:25:32 PDT
Lawhead has written out the Arturian legends in his version and the finished work takes up 5 books - The Pendragon Cycle. Taliesin is the first book of this Cycle, and details the story of two lives that eventually become intertwined. One is the Atlantean Princess, Charis, the other is a druid prince from the British Isles of old, Taliesin. We watch Charis through the determining events of her youth that culminate in the destruction of and her hasty escape from her beloved homeland, Atlantis. Simultaneously we follow the events that lead to Taliesin's coming, his boyhood and his 'apprenticeship' with the old druid Hafgan.

Charis and the other survivors from Atlantis sail East and eventually reach the British Isles with a nature and many peoples that are very different from what the highly cultured and sophisticated Atlanteans are used to. Eventually Charis and Taliesin meet. I will reveal no more other than what the title of the second book in the series reveals: The events of the book Taliesin lead to the coming of Merlin, a character most people will have heard of.

Taliesin is rich with mystery and mystics, mages, druids and magics in many shapes and sizes, and at the same time the Arthurian legends do hold a grain of truth, but overall Taliesin is fantasy, and well worth a read.

Lawhead writes in a wonderfully descriptive language that can simply draw in the reader and make them feel with the characters. I have laughed when they laughed and cried when they cried. I have experienced Britain at the end of the age of the Romans, I know even insignificant details of daily life among the Welsh tribes at that day and age, I have seen Atlantis at the peak of its glory and I have seen it fall. Lawhead makes it real and for that I like Taliesin and will warmly recommend it to anyone, be they seeking Arthurian tales, tales of Britain in late and post-Roman times, or simply a good fantasy novel. Lawhead's language is free flowing and invites a quick read, but the story he tells also invites one to take a deep breath once in a while and simply sit still and savour the all the details in a scene.

Taliesin is a beautiful novel. Not as action-packed as many other fantasy novels, but focusing on all aspects of our characters' lives, in peace, in war, in love and in loss. I know I will hurry on to the sequel.

Highly recommended.

Proud member of: ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/9043507/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/9043507/ Mon, 12 Jun 2006 05:12:31 PDT
I will however criticise the plot and how it is presented. The plot itself with the murder and the solving of it is fair enough, it should be, seeing as the author is a prosecutor dealing with the kind of cases that the plot's murder falls under. I won't say it's far-fetched because reality does go way beyond our imagination a lot of the time, so I'll leave that one alone.

The story-line is actually rather good, Ms. Fairstein does not reveal what actually happened at the murder scene till at the very end. That is the kind of crime novel I like, the one I can guess along with, the one where even the reader does not know what happened. She set the story among intelligent people of a university faculty, so to our knowledge anyone could be smart enough to remove traces and think of plausible stories and arrange for good alibies. This makes the guessing game the best part of the book, I'd still say that other books with a better presentation of the story will be rpeferable to this one, because it is not as good as the reviews would have us believe.

But - and that's a very big but. I had a very hard time following the plot during the first 6 chapters or so. There was no structure - at all. It is told in a first person narrative which does work out fairly well, except for the fact that the lack of structure makes Alexandra Cooper's account very difficult to follow. When she starts speaking of something else it often happens without warning, and this makes it very tough to find head and tail in the first few chapters. Once I got used to the style of writing I got into the practice of flipping back a few pages every now and then to keep track of what was actually going on.

It's nothing special. I must say I wonder why it received such seemingly fine reviews as are quoted on the cover and on the inside. They're entirely undeserved. The book is neither thrilling nor fascinating and definitely not "one of the best of the year" - unless 2001 was a decidedly poor year in the world of crime novels.

I know, I said, I didn't want to comment on characters. I will anyway. The main character, being female, forces me to consider her with my feminist glasses on. And I'm very disappointed. Alexandra Cooper is a DA assistant in Manhattan and as such a very successful business woman, that should be cause for admiration from my feminist self. But somehow her personality detracts from it all. She's business minded and goal oriented and that's all well and good, but towards the end of the book she becomes entirely too dependent on the knowledge that there are men waiting for her back at home. She may at some point realise this and mentally berate herself for it, but it doesn't change. She suddenly becomes the stereo-typed weak-willed female who feels incomplete without a significant other in her life. And this is a type I utterly despise. Seriously, if you're not a complete person all by yourself, you shouldn't be burdening anyone else with your presence.

Her relationship to Jake Tyler, the news reporter, is plagued with a major hissy fit on her part that leads her into a dangerous situation. You would think it is a fair enough message that being unreasonably angered can lead to trouble, but she was NOT unreasonably angered. She was annoyed with something that should have prevented the two from getting together in the first place, a news reporter with anonymous informants and a DA assistant with loads of confidential info, gee, ya think they'll have to keep secrets from each other? Nooooo, really? In a relationship in which they have previously been able to share everything - even info because they trust each other - it is not great fun to see your partner pointedly answer a phone call in a different room.

Her anger was presented as unreasonable, she even called it unreasonable herself, and it simply was not. It was perfectly sane and sensible and should have told her that she needed to find someone whose interests did not conflict with hers. Why should this otherwise confident and independent woman suddenly defer to her boyfriend's wishes when he does not defer to hers? And why should she call herself unreasonable for not liking it? It's bullshit - plain and simple.

And the whole thing about getting jealous over her colleague's love-life and behaving liek a real bint about it. And said colleague telling her off for complaining, when, as he puts it, she's the luckiest girl he knows. Well, being lucky in life doesn't make you happy. There's a far, far too great weight on women being happy when they have the ma... ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/8840570/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/8840570/ Mon, 22 May 2006 01:43:28 PDT
However, leaving Perryn unexplained also means that he shows up in the story as a handy tool to help our heroes, and his odd origins are never fully explained. Perryn does in fact smell of Deus Ex Machina - and I don't like that smell. It was a very clumsy way of getting past her own construct that dweomer does not function across a large body of water. With that fact in place it is logical that the sneaky bad guys would take a kidnapped victim across a large body of water. But still our heroes needed to be able to find the victim and thus we’re introduced to the magic that isn’t dweomer and no one really knows what it is then. It annoyed me somewhat.

However, the book was highly enjoyable nonetheless. As stated: many loose ends were tied up and much was explained. There is also some redemption for Ms. Kerr in terms of character development; the development has happened over the course of four books and while none of the characters are as deep and complete as for instance The Brothers Karamazov (though I doubt anyone would expect thusly) they have become rounded and infused with some personality. Truly there are none about whom I can say: “I’d really love to meet him/her” or “Wow, if I met him/her I’d smack them upside the head”, none make as big an impression as all that, but they’re not as flat as they were in the beginning either. Though some few are still stereotyped most seem to be fairly normal people with fairly normal reactions to what goes on around them, and that is after all also an accomplishment considering the temptation it is to make all your characters special.

What weighs heavily in Dragonspell is the Bardek culture our Deverrians meet. A widely different culture where they keep slaves, which is illegal in Deverry, but mostly everyone can read and write, which is a rarity in Deverry. And of course: each calls the other culture barbaric.

Political intrigues have prevailed throughout the books, but I have an ambivalent opinion of them. They exist, we’re told of them, but they’re not terribly developed. There are a few peak passages where the scheming becomes truly interesting, but other than that it’s mostly just talk. Once again there has been very little actual fighting, and when it happens it is to finally – after four books – show some offensive use of magic. Spite of this being a low magic setting in the eyes of the commoner, I’d say it is high magic, simply because of the organization of the magic users and their power. But I must say Kerr manages it well. She keeps the goodly dweomermen to mostly using defensive, protective or reconnaissance magic for information gathering. Her magic has its limits when it comes to attacking – it can only be done if the Wildfolk and their Kings are willing to serve your purpose, because as a goodly dweomer user you do not have the option of forcing the Wildfolk as the evil twisted men of the dark dweomer do.

Generally the magic system is reasonably explained. Mind, one can never expect a full explanation with regards to great mystical beings and suchlike, but it is believable here and that makes it worth my while.

Now, many characters express expectations for what will happen at the end, most notably the wedding between Rhodry and Jill. And over the course of the book the reader, too, have come to expect just that. There have been times when I thought that Jill would never settle for that, but everytime her determination and love for Rhodry have dispelled my suspicion. So on one hand the ending was not a surprise, but on the other hand it was. It was not clear what she would until the very end. And I must say, I like what she did.

]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/8826123/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/8826123/ Sat, 20 May 2006 13:34:49 PDT
That said I did enjoy the book. The flashback this time was about the origins of the High King of Deverry and what kind of hand Nevyn and his dweomer fellows played in that bit, and that story takes almost half of the book. Not only that, mind you, but it introduced two new characters of the past whose incarnations play a part in the present.

The character gallery is getting a tad confusing, I must say I'm quite confused at times about who's who. Also because some names are repeated, which is only natural of course, there will always be more than one person with a certain name, and Kerr is not making up a new name for every single character, once in a while she uses a name we've heard before, and it adds to the realism. Sadly, it also adds to a rather realistic kind of confusion. Though, admittedly it can also have something to do with me having read these books rather quickly. I may miss things now and then.

What's to say about Dawnspell? The plot thickens, that's what. Still following Jill and Rhodry on the road we see the kind of action that can be expected when you're a mercenary. It has unusual consequences, though, since things happen that have yet to be explained - I'm hoping very much that Kerr will gather all the loose ends in the final book. Jill falls for a ruse that brings her away from Rhodry and all the while others are plotting for Rhodry to be removed from the things going on in Deverry. Things become very complicated and this fairy tale is growing mighty dark. We seem to only find more questions and seldom a solution to anything at all, really.

This flashback business is peculiar. I'm not sure if I like it or not. On one hand it's interesting enough as it imparts a part of the kingdom's history, and some knowledge of the souls that inhabit the people we follow in the present, but on the other hand it seems to be a replacement for true character development in the characters in the present. And that's not really a good change. The characters in the present have grown a little, but they did most of their growing in the first book, and it wasn't all that much, really. They've now been described more thoroughly but still many of them seem flat. Perhaps some of the time spent in the past would have been better spent in the present.

Regardless, it was still an enjoyable read and I will surely read the fourth book. I cannot leave an epic without its end.

]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/8805464/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/8805464/ Thu, 18 May 2006 07:52:25 PDT
In Daggerspell there were two time periods aside from the 'present', in Darkspell there is only one. It once again deals with reincarnation and how one's actions in one life may have grave consequences in the next, it also supplies some much needed history about the century old civil war the effects of which are still felt in the present in political relations.

Towards the end of Daggerspell Rhodry got caught in his own karma and fell for a ploy he had devised in an earlier life. This resulted in his brother the gwerbret exiling him and stripping him of rank and status. Rhodry took of to ride 'the long road' as a silver dagger, indeed he was pledged by Cullyn of Cerrmor who had regained his honour. And Jill, the adventurous lass with the tumultuous Wyrd, went with him. Rhodry's Wyrd is apparently tied to that of Eldidd - a region of the kingdom, though no one really knows what that entails. It was deducted that it was because of his Wyrd that some people tried to kill him in the previous book, and yet in Darkspell the same people of the dark dweomer have changed course and are now doing what they can to meddle with things around him without harming Rhodry. It gets very odd and very mysterious, because those who follow the Light simply trust in said Light and do not try to spy on the future like the dark dweomermen do. Thus the evil sorcerers are always a step ahead of everyone else.

The story from the past is in Darkspell a new aspect of Jill, and we are told more about one of the religions in the kingdom, namely the Priestesses of the Moon Goddess. And we can once more follow the incarnations of the now familiar characters as they play out the same story in a different way. What is significant is clear now that we've seen the third glimpse from the past; every time the story is replayed and the actors reincarnated one tangle of the mess is cleared up. One more thing is solved and removed from great equation, and the more things are sorted the more at peace with themselves can they become in the next incarnation. In the present there is only one character who can probably never be fully 'sorted', because of an inherent wrongness in his soul, it is, of course, Gerraent in the shape of Cullyn, but in the present the hardened warrior has dealt with his flaws and has come to a kind of peace.

I am very much looking forward to what the next books might bring in terms of solved knots in the past, it's really quite fascinating how Kerr manages to keep track of so many threads.

What's different about Darkspell is also that we get more of an insight into the dark. We spend some passages following the dark dweomermen, getting to know them - at least to a degree. What puzzles me, however, is that both of the main actors on the side of the darkness are killed towards the end of the book - don't worry, this is no big spoiler. I wonder if they will come back in reincarnations, since something of the sort was implied in old Nevyn's musings concerning how they died and what they did beforehand. I am quite curious to see how that will turn out.

Theme-wise there is not much changed. There is more battle in Darkspell, mainly because of the nature of the characters in the flashback, but still most of the story is told though the characters, and to her credit, Kerr makes the characters more solid with her second book, it's quite enjoyable to read.

Concerning her language and choices in description of characters I stumbled across something that sort of annoyed me. At least twice has it happened that Nevyn reacts to something in a very specific way, namely by crying and both times is it written that he felt decidedly odd and then finally realised that he was crying; something he hadn't done in a century. Nothing wrong with writing that, of course, it's really quite sad that his life has been so bleak that even being stirred to tears is a rarity, but it happens twice - in two different time periods. I no longer recall which of the 'pasts' it was, but I think both places were in Darkspell and thus must have been in the one flashback period on this book. It simply struck me when I read it that hey, I've read this before. Not good, but it's a tolerable flaw.

All in all, neither of the books are strokes of brilliance, but they are good solid 'epic fairy tales' so to speak. And the characters that were a tad weak in the first books were strengthened in this one - at least the ones that are still actors in the... ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/8787350/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/8787350/ Tue, 16 May 2006 10:39:44 PDT
Very often writers make up for these lacks in their second book in their series. But I must say that Katharine Kerr is blessed with not having such obligations after Daggerspell. As a beginning of a series it is absolutely brilliantly set up. The character gallery is limited, though it does not seem so at first, and the world's true expanse is merely hinted at, while most of the story takes place in just one rather small region of a kingdom. This makes the story easily accessible and the reader can use their energy on enjoying the tale and think along with the plot rather than having to keep track of two million characters or facts about a setting.

The first thing we meet in the book is a note on pronunciation of Deverry words and names, a very nice thing to have when the author uses names that are unfamiliar to our Earth 2006 AD tongues. The next thing is a couple of maps, to give us some idea of how these lands are put together and where things are - especially where cities and therefore Lords and their warbands are placed in relation to each other. Also very useful.

The story itself starts with a brief glance at the spirit world of Kerr's universe, and a date, which becomes important later on. The one event described there will not make sense till some pages into the book. That, however, is the only glance at the existence out of touch with the humans' world we get. We are introduced to the concept of Wyrd, which in Deverry means destiny. Next person introduced is the old man, Nevyn, a character I have been very annoyed with and felt much compassion for throughout this book. He is the sage character of this book, the wise old man, who peddles his herbs throughout the land, while actually keeping an eye on everything and not letting on that he's the most powerful 'wizard' in the kingdom. Kerr dos not use the term wizard, though, magic is called dweomer in Deverry and is mostly thought to be the stuff of children's tales and mere superstition. It is very real, however, and Nevyn is a master of wielding the dweomer, all the while being a grandfatherly old herbman.

Next Cullyn of Cerrmor and his daughter Gilyan (Jill) are introduced; two characters who will mean everything in this tale. Cullyn, a once dishonoured warrior who must live as a mercenary - a silver dagger - because such is the lot of men with no honour and Jill, the bastard daughter Cullyn had with a woman who dies when Jill is but 7 years old. Towards the end of the first part of the book, Nevyn draws some parallels and conclusions regarding a person he meets and this sets off the second part that takes place 400 years earlier, starring completely different characters. At least that is the first impression the reader gets. As things become clearer the strings between the past and the future become tangible, and the extent of the reincarnation and karma in Deverry is laid bare to the reader. Whatever one does it can come back to haunt one in subsequent lives, and oaths sworn to the Lords of Wyrd are to be taken seriously. I will not reveal too much here, because while it sounds extremely complicated at first, it is actually rather simple, and once you know one thing you'll figure the rest out so I'll try not to spoil too much.

Character development wise Daggerspell is not very advanced. We follow some characters over the course of many years and they experience all sorts of horrors, they learn more about the world and themselves. They all grow, and many of them grow on you, but many of them are also somewhat stereo-typed. In that fashion, Daggerspell is very akin to an overgrown fairy tale, there are loyal knights, there are traitors, wise old men and women, damsels in distress and so on and so forth, but the reincarnation pattern both strengthens and diversifies these principles, and so it becomes more than a fairy tale.

Theme wise it deals with love and betrayal, not just the usual kinds, though, but also the forbidden kind... ]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/8776515/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/8776515/ Mon, 15 May 2006 09:08:38 PDT
Nonetheless the other day I was reading a web-comic. A fav of mine called Something Positive. I'm speaking of this particular issue: [link]

You'll find a King Bran in there. Nothing special about that, it's just a name, and I thought nothing of it.

And then recently I've been reading Katharine Kerr's Daggerspell, first of her Deverry Cycle. A really good book and lo and behold! There's a King Bran right there, only as a minor character in the genalogy of one of the central characters iirc, but still... not just a Bran - a KING Bran. And I ran into these two instances within two days of each other. How likely is that? Heh... peculiar coincidence.

]]> *JemimaAslana http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/7880583/ http://JemimaAslana.deviantart.com/journal/7880583/ Mon, 13 Feb 2006 06:33:33 PST
My issue was with the professor. I wrote my worries off with the fact that it was the first class of the semester, none of us have ever taken classes with this particular professor before so none of us knew him and he knew none of us, such new situations always cause a certain amount of confusion and our class was mainly introductory and also cut somewhat short. It was not much time to get a thorough impression at all.

This Monday, though, the impression was more thorough and I'm sorry to admit that my worries have not been alleviated. Our professor clearly knows his stuff, but he's sadly not very good at teaching a class. I'm willing to bet he'd be loads better if he was to tutor a small group of people rather than an full classroom. He has emphasised how it's a very creative job to translate a text because the translater has to convey the message as well as the language used, and do so with the right connotations and metaphors that come as close to the original as possible - at least in meaning. And yet his class is something of the most uninspiring and uncreative I've experienced at university yet. 'Tis a pity. It seems if I want fun in this subject I'll have to make it for myself.

As it is I spent most of today's Translation class working on two poems I've had in the works for some time. Will put at least one of them up on DA when I polish them off later today. ]]> *JemimaAslana