Fantasy Geeks Unite!

Hello everyone once again.

Yes, it has been a while since my last review. No one can help when real life decides to crash in on the party.

In any case, the majority of my time is now being taken up by an actual job. Now, while this job isn’t the hourly paying kind I figure it’s better than nothing at all. At the current time, I’m writing articles as a Liberal Examiner on Examiner.com.

My income is based completely upon how many hits I receive on my articles. For those of you that don’t know, it’s basically how many times the articles are read. So, in a manner of speaking, I’m entirely counting on readers like you to go and read the articles I type up.

It doesn’t cost you anything to read the articles. You don’t have to create an account or give them any info to read them. If you feel compelled or maybe just curious, stop on by Examiner.com Liberal Examiner to check my articles as they come out.

All the articles are pretty short, 200 to 400 words typically. Not much of a side track. I will go ahead and thank anyone who decides to stop by just to peek since I won’t know if you do or not.

Now, for the real reason this blog exists.

Book reviews.

For those that have read my last blog, you would know that I was reviewing the Lord of the Rings books and that last time it was The Fellowship of the Rings.

And for those who are just as geeky as me, you know it’s time for the review of The Two Towers. This being the second book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, if you don’t count The Hobbit.

Now, given this book as the next to review, I have to say that though all of the book are very high on my favorite books list, this book is actually not my favorite of the series if I had to put them in some kind of order.

This by no means means that I hate this book. This book along with its companions broke through barriers and managed to create a new world and something original. Most writers assume that nothing can ever be original again but Tolkien proved many people wrong.

By this point in the series, the Fellowship is way underway in their journey to get the ring to Mount Doom to destroy the ring. Though by this point there’s not much of a Fellowship as Frodo and Sam are alone carrying the ring to Mordor while Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas are working to save Merry and Pippin from a group of orcs.

To me the book itself becomes slow about this time as they go through various tasks which I won’t spoil for anyone who has managed to somehow not read this series.

It is the slow progression that irks me the most about this book simply because, unlike most “girls” who prefer the romantic comedy and the like, I’d very much rather have some action. And NOT the Michael Bay type action. But that’s a rant for another time.

In this book, the humans who have been conspicuously absent finally get their day in the heat of battle to prove themselves to the other races of Middle Earth. Oddly like in the current decade, the humans have to prove their worth after their predecessors caused the current mayhem to come about.

Once this task is completed with the inevitable battle of epic proportions, now all eyes turn back to the task of hoping that Frodo and Sam are still alive and still possess the ring.

While there are details I have skipped over and things that happened that I didn’t mention, I doubt anyone has the time to read a complete and thorough review of the series.

However, the main point I want to touch on would be that this is the book that serves as the turning point for Aragorn as a character. All this time, he has served as a ranger, a guide, a protector but still not accepting of his bloodline that leads him to the throne of Gondor. The trials he faces beings to internally shift his mindset from a mere ranger to that of a warrior and a leader. As the book progresses, he uses less of his skills as a ranger and more the skills of a diplomat, a warrior, and a strategist.

The Two Towers easily balances the shift between the necessary plot lines without jerking the reader around. It flows from the basic quest, to character growth, internal struggle, epic battle, and then to the tension with the knowledge that the battle is far from over.

I still recommend that everyone read this series. While even I occasionally joke about the round about way they are going about completing their goal in this series, it wouldn’t be much of a series if it was all completed in one book. And if it had been completed in one book then it wouldn’t hold the same weight it does now that warranted a movie series and a remake of The Hobbit.

So, read it, see the movies, share it with friends and family. This is one series everyone can watch and read.

Well that’s all for this review. Now, as life permits, I will be doing a review of the third and final book The Return of the King. After that, I’m planning a detailed review of The Hobbit since I fully intend to see the movie when it comes out in theaters. Whether I do a second review giving my take on the book to movie translation remains a question. It’s more likely that I would join my long time friend The Cinema Chick to review it with her.

In that case, I will make a short notice on this blog about the review and add a link to her site for the review. That’s if we work something out since her reviews have turned into vlogs. Whether I do one myself or not I will link to her vlog of the review of The Hobbit when it’s posted.

As for this review, that’s all from me.

This is Creative Karma and I proudly proclaim my geekery.

The One Book to Rule Them All

Hello to everyone again and welcome back to Ink Stained Fingers.

As anyone knows that even remotely looks at this blog, I recently took a hiatus from reviewing books for a short time to take a breather and a mental vacation. Real life decided to weigh heavily on my time for a short while. Most of you know the drill of dealing with the basics of chores and job hunting.

However, most of that is now gone and without a car job hunting is on hold pending its return. But last night I finally felt like my mind had rested enough that I could get back to reviewing without my mind imploding.

Now, as many geeks, nerds and fanatics out there are aware, The Hobbit is going to be made into a new live action film. I am personally very excited about this movie and plan to go out and see it the first chance I get when it comes out in theaters. It makes me even happier to know they will be using the same actors from the other three when characters like Legolas or Gandalf makes their appearance.

So in honor of the movie in the making, I will start off with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Now, a few might question as to why I’m not starting off with The Hobbit which is the beginning of the series. Well, there are a couple of reasons for that. First off, the movie for The Hobbit is a long way in coming as it is. Holding off on reviewing the book would at least put it closer to the time the movie is coming out despite the fact the filming for the movie doesn’t even end till in November and it’s still February. No amount of spacing will get it to even out. But secondly and more importantly, it gives me time to catch up and read the book so I can do the review justice.

When the movie comes out, I will go see the movie and as any good book lover, I will tell you guys if they managed to get close enough to the book to allow anyone who hasn’t read the book to know what is going out without deviating from the book.

So for now, I will delve back into the world of books with one of my personal favorites The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Now, I will not be the first to say that this book is one of the most epic, inspiring, and original books that I have ever read. Sure, there have been other books filled with adventures, saving the world, magical creatures, and a bad guy that wants to destroy and take over the world. Those are a dime a dozen.

However, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring provides the new level that other books have to reach in order to stick in our imaginations for generations. One of the few others to do so is the Harry Potter series and that had to take the avenue of wizards to make its name in the literary world.

 This book is where we get the second mention of a race known as hobbits who haven’t had a controlling stake in the fate of what is known as ‘The one ring’ since in the book The Hobbit. However, now they must take their most active role yet to give a personal stake in the fate of the land of Middle Earth and the destruction of the one ring forged by the evil Lord Sauron.

Through this adventure, those that are familiar with The Hobbit again get to meet Biblo Baggins, Gandalf the Grey, Leoglas Greenleaf, Gollum, and Lord Elrond. Then, the character list is expanded to include: Frodo Baggins and his friends Sam, Pippin, and Merry. Along with Aragorn though known by most as the ranger named Strider, Boromir, Gimli, Arwen, and Galadriel to name the main ones.

The list of characters and creatures within this cast has a life of its own. Each race has a language, a home, and a back story that goes far beyond what most other stories delve into. You see orcs, elves, men, hobbits, wizards and nazgul. Each has different kinds and different looks to separate them from the others giving a more realistic feel to a world that has many races and creeds.

In essence, that is exactly why this book makes the top of many lists. Tolkien created an entirely new world where anything was possible which made the story possible for anyone to see, understand and enjoy. Without setting this story in another realm, I’m not sure if it would have fared as well. There is more freedom when you create your own world for things to happen in and it shows here.

Sure, this book does follow some of the same conventions of men and elves that are found in other books. But when the thought of elves comes into your mind I doubt there would be many that don’t think of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in the lists of stories that come to mind. For some that may be the first. I know it is for me.

There are characters that you cling to and you become comfortable with. That make you feel for the characters and anything that happens to the characters strikes you. If they are injured, you worry for them. If they are victorious, then you rejoice with them. If the die, you cry for them. Not many books can truly say they have touched as many people in that manner as this book did.

From a literary standpoint, the flow of the book keeps you moving. You don’t ever have to think about the context the events are happening in while you read. The context is there with every line to help you along so you can simply enjoy the story and keep up in their journey without feeling rushed. You have enough information about the world to keep you updated but not so much that you feel like you are reading a history book.

I like history but when I’m reading for pleasure I certainly don’t want to feel like I’m going to be graded over what I’m reading.

All in all, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is just one of those books that will stick with me long after I’ve stopped reading it. To me, one of the biggest praises I can give any book is that I don’t need to go back and re-read the book in order to remember the story because it just comes back to me. The Lord of the Rings is one of those books.

I have favorite characters and times and scenes that I go back to time and time again to think of and be inspired by. As those who read my post about those books that inspired and influenced me know, I only have a few that really inspired me and this book made the list.

True, my hope is to be a writer one day. If anything I write could ever obtain a third of the followers and influence that The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring has then I will certainly be a happy camper.

Haven’t read this series yet? Then apparently you have just been born or got swept way in Justin Beiber fever. I have nothing against the kid but he’s just not from my time of music.

I highly recommend turning off your TV, the radio, and the computer and taking time to read this book and join the rest of the masses in reading this book. If true books are a dying breed then it’s high time to take charge of the time we have left and read books that still hold the imagination of so many.

I’m Creative Karma and it’s time for an adventure of my own.

Influenced Much?

Hello and Welcome back to Ink Stained Fingers.

I'm taking a side track from reviewing a whole series of books in order to do something a little different.

Today's little journey is actually inspired and prodded along by a friend of mine. Namely, TheCinemaChick. She recently posted her list of the Top Five Movies that Influenced her. Naturally, as we got to talking I got "influenced" to write my own list. But here we are all about books. So let's dive into The top 5 books that influenced me.

5. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen


Now I'm well aware of the subject content of this book. I'm very aware that the whole story centers around a family of six girls that are all hot to get hitched up to an eligible bachelor. Well, everyone besides Elizabeth Bennett.

However, while reading this story a while back I noticed one key thing that usually happens to me when I'm reading a story I love. I read it for hours on end and finally put the thing down when I noticed it was 3am in the morning.

The book is an all time classic of Jane Austen's. It's a timeless story that really isn't about girls that have to get married at all. It's about Elizabeth and how the lack of information or believing in the social views of a person without getting to know the person underneath can lead to an incorrect assumption about a person. For Lizzy, this person ended up being a man she despised for all the wrong reasons, comes to her senses when she discovers the truth and sees that this so called proud man is the match that will fill her life with happiness she never dreamed of obtaining.

4. Stoodie by Taffeta Chime


Now, many of you out there aren't even aware of this book's existence. I wasn't either until my mother bought it for me one day where it was on sale at a play house. Now, normally, I'm rather dubious about any books my mother brings home for me to read.

However, the back cover of the story and the history of the author enticed me enough that I gave it a chance and boy was I glad I did.

This story is the ultimate story to read for those people who feel like there isn't a place for them in this world or those who had a place but it's suddenly taken from them due to loss of popularity or whatever. The book itself talks about one girl's struggle to deal with her changing world and learning to adapt and gain a new confidence about herself.

For me personally, this story really showed me that I'm not alone in those types of feelings and that despite the trials I may face that it can bring about something amazing.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Now this story nearly everyone in the world has heard of in some format or another. If you haven't then apparently you've been living in a cave. Most people tend to think of the early Harry Potter books as kids books. However, there is some seriously heavy and adult material inside that outer shell of wizards and magic.

What influenced me in this book is not only the way Harry and his friends stick together through all the trials that they have to face but the courage they face when coming up against the unexpected. They are scared like anyone would be but they face those fears head on even faced with the greatest of tasks.

I think the most influencing part of this story is spoken by Remus Lupin. In short, that whether or not things ended up exactly the way you wanted them to that if you can help one person, prevent an innocent person from taking an unjust punishment, and prove to yourself what is the truth despite that no one else knows it, that it can make all the difference in the world whether anyone knows what you've done or not or if anyone thinks it's right or not.

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Following of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien


This story is just one of those stories that has everything going for it. It has action, adventure, romance, hot guys. I mean what else could anyone want? But this isn't about how great this book is. This is about how this book influenced me.

Heck, I don't need to say much about this at all that the book or the movie hasn't all ready said and I quote: "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."

Need I say more?

And the number one book that influenced me is....


1.  The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King


This book I could read over and over and over again.

The woman whose point of view we are hearing the story from isn't some damsel in distress that has to be saved by a man constantly. Yes, she meets a man along the way that gets the story going. But she's got an inner strength and fire that can't be denied or squashed by anyone.

Mary Russell makes it a point to not let herself get pushed aside when she knows that something is going on that she's being kept out of especially when everything else between them has held no secrets. She doesn't make excuses for why she can't or didn't do something. Instead she takes chances and risks and proves to everyone that she's not someone to be lightly tossed aside.

Her determination not to be treated like a frilly and delicate woman is her strength rather than a weakness like most would think. It gives her an edge of confidence and daring that, if she were of the mind to and lived in the current decade, would lead her to be the first woman President.

Her passion and fire is something rarely seen among girls today and it's something I long to obtain for myself one day and never let anything stand in the way of what I really want.

So there you are, the top five books that influenced me.


I highly recommend you go out and try these books out for yourself if you haven't all ready. But even if you've all ready read them, read them again. Their messages will certainly lasts for years to come and you never know when the message they are bringing across will influence you in a positive direction.

Come back here next time to see the next list that's once again inspired by my friend TheCinemaChick. My Top 5 Guilty Pleasure Books. Maybe we'll share some of the same books that you go back to read time and time again but your friends just don't understand why.

This is Creative Karma and keep an eye out because the next book I review may be your guilty pleasure.