Some Poetry

With love in my heart I walk this Earth
Watching the deeds of men
With the Soul and Body of no worth
I try to make amends

Brother O’ Brother there is no word
To stand before the Gate
Brother O’ Brother it is absurd
Your reverence for Fate

No land bound spirit within
Nor tainted mind without
Can with forced means begin
Casting atop their doubt
For both take essence and time to cultivate anew
This lasting Globe fit in Holy garb worn through and through

A Brief Overview of Manga

Manga is the Japanese equivalent of comics. Both are presented in the same format, but art form and story vary greatly. Manga has become somewhat popular outside of Japan in recent years along with Japanese animation (anime). The style of manga is often less detailed than American comics, though it is more unique in my opinion. Over the past 20 years American comics have fallen into a slump while the manga industry has thrived and begun extending its reach around the globe. This is mainly due to the wide variety one can find when opening this foreign comic. Most people in America often meet this graphic medium with minimal interest looking at it as merely kid stuff, when in fact most manga is sensible and provides absorbing stories with inspiring art and dynamic designs. I do not wish to berate American comics for I find their decline truly misfortunate. There is just a certain allure to this foreign take on the graphical narrative that outshines the dull and dusty stigma attached to comic books of yore. I intend to glance over and talk about one of my favorite manga in my next post. Until then I would like to see some of your opinions and thoughts over the graphical mediums of comics and manga.

A Look at Richard Adams's Classic "Watership Down"

Watership Down was written by the English author Richard Adams in 1972. Its creation was a result of a culmination of stories Adams told his children during long trips out into the English countryside. As Adams’s first, and most successful, novel it clearly demonstrates the author’s talent which shined again in the works of Shardik and The Plague Dogs.

The very first mention of this book, that I had ever encountered, was through a reference made in Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart. Having been intrigued by the distinctive excerpt and coming across the book in a local bookstore, I took my chances. The book was very descriptive and had an amazing attention to detail. Every scene was crafted and fitted into a most perfect state that never, in the course of the story, did I find myself lost or easily swayed into setting the book aside, even for a moment. The story is an epic, a heroic adventure equal to that of Tolkien, Herbert, or Le Guin, and it’s about rabbits. Yes I said rabbits and let me tell you, it became hard to look at them as cute and innocent balls of fluff after reading this novel. The rabbits have a language all their own and the book includes a glossary in the back to aide the forgetful reader. Through human intervention a group of rabbits are forced to flee their home and seek out another, all the while coming across atrocities of mankind, ferocious tendencies of nature, and dystopian societal problems. The book has a gritty unfiltered feel to it, giving the reader a raw description of the rabbit’s grueling journey. But what makes the story so amazing and believable is the culture possessed by these rabbits. They not only have their own, Lapine, language, but their own poetry and mythology which mainly consists of stories about El-ahrairah , who has affinities to the Buddha and Christ. The back-story behind these bunnies is so impressive that one would expect an entire series to exist, chronicling the rabbit culture and mythos.

At the age of 13, I was astounded by this novel. Over the years the sense of amazement turned into respect, as I now hold this novel in the highest regard. I think it is one of the greatest works of the last century and rank it alongside two of my other esteemed favorites; The Count of Monte Cristo and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I recommend it to anyone with a need for a fresh read and love of adventure.

The Blog is up

This blog will be used for any literary comments or thoughts I might have. I might look at an author or a selective work. I might analyze themes throughout a story or from various works. Some of my reviews might not pertain to conventional literature. I like to read comics and manga from time to time and tend to muse over their devices and mechanisms. Anything with an absorbing plot and interesting character developement  falls within my scrutinizing scope; for the realm of literature is not defined by the medium, but  by the author's ability to convey their ideas and emotions.