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Tolkien Month and Updates

Nov27

As I’m winding down with The Chronicles of Narnia (Review of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader up next), I’m ramping up to reread J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. As this December is 20 years since the Peter Jackson movies came out, starting with The Fellowship of the Ring, I plan to watch those, too. As a supplement to both, I am subscribing to Unauthorized TV to watch the The Forge of Tolkien online lecture series by Professor Rachel Fulton Brown, Professor of History at Chicago University. I’ve already begun watching and it’s a great lecture series. She has so, so much knowledge on this subject.

Something about Middle Earth always says “Christmas” to me, and maybe it’s just that so many symbols and themes in LOTR compliment the themes in Christianity, even though the story isn’t an allegory per se like The Chronicles of Narnia are.

The real focus of December, however, is celebrating the birth of Jesus, and for that I love reading the book of Isaiah, which flips back and forth between the horror of judgement, and the relief of salvation. Also planning to start a personal Bible study on Romans and I have a couple of different commentaries to use for that. Other things I will read: More Agatha Christie, more Regency romances, and a few other books I’ve had hanging around.

Writing for is going well, but I have too many ideas for so many different stories, it’s a challenge some days to just pick one to work on. The plan is to publish Trolls for Dust, Season Three in 2022, as well as a short novel, but an action plan is definitely needed to get this done. Fortunately, this year has been a great time of change in my life and finding and working on things that bring me joy has been a great part of that. Thus, I am spending more thinking time and actual time in writing and planning current stories and upcoming ones.

This week, along with a review of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I will also have one of Elantris by Brandon Sanderson. Sanderson is also a one for religious themes, and so far I am enjoying both his writing and world building. It’s easy to see why he was picked to finish The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (which is now an Amazon TV show).

As far as Korean Dramas, I’ll be done with Bossam soon, and will have a review on that, and I have a list of thrillers and romcoms to try. The recent best shows I have watched have all been thrillers: Mouse, Awaken, Forest. Okay, Forest wasn’t exactly a thriller, but it had thrilling elements and a great kiss scene. Looking forward particularly to: Jirisan, The Veil, Taxi Driver, Doctor Prisoner, and The Royal Gambler. None of the romcoms I’ve put in my watch queue really stand out, and it may be I won’t finish many of them.

Happy upcoming December!

The Chronicles of Narnia, Book Four, Prince Caspian

Nov11

This review will be a bit short as I don’t have a lot to say about this story. First off, I enjoyed it, but aside from the beginning chapters, I didn’t find much memorable about it. Here we have the Pevensies, Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy on their second visit to Narnia. This takes place about a year later (in the real world) to their time in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Prince Caspian gets its start in a railway station where suddenly the four children are whisked away to Narnia. The Harry Potter series, too, makes use of a train station to get the kids to the magical world. And what could be more logical than a place of transportation? Anyway, it’s a great opening that flows well into an even better scene: All the children find their former castle where they ruled as kings and queens for so many Narnian years. At Cair Paravel, they start to remember the lives in Narnia that they once had and also find their old weapons and gifts given to them by Father Christmas so long ago. Then they meet a new dwarf and are off to help Prince Caspian save his kingdom.

I did get a kick out of Lucy sticking it to her brother when Edmund’s grumbling about girls: “That’s the worst of girls. They never carry a map in their heads.” And Lucy responds: “That’s because our heads have something inside them.” Ouch. Turns out the map in the boys’ heads of no use as its hundreds of years later that they are trying to navigate through Narnia. Lucy ends up saving the day by trusting in Aslan and her brothers’ pride is humbled. At first the three older siblings do not believe her, even though they themselves have seen Aslan before and Lucy would have no reason to make it up. C.S. Lewis is very much getting at one having faith like a little child, as Lucy is the youngest and her faith wins out on the path in which to take. It’s not so much that Lucy doesn’t have a map in her head, but she has space and room for imagination and the possibility that Aslan is there to show them the way. As adults our heads are certainly crowded with many things, many useful of them in the real world, but having a head full of faith, we can see what’s really important. Or the correct path to take in life, and so on. It’s interesting just how long the older kids persist in not believing Lucy. I see this in the real world so, so often, especially today. So many obvious signs that people just don’t see until finally they are forced to wake up to the fact that they or their thinking is on the wrong path and they must turn around and consider that all those other ideas or conspiracy theories or what have you may be valid or true or both. How easily our grown up pride gets in the way of seeing clearly sometimes.

The interaction between the Pevensies and Prince Caspian really is not a big part of the book. The largest part is simply getting them all in the same place. Lewis includes a wild, uniquely Narnian romp, and then the boys get to do some fighting and killing. As the High King, Peter trumps Caspian and ends up fighting Caspian’s uncle Miraz in combat. It ends up in a big fight, Narnians against the Telmarines who abused Caspian, and it’s thrilling to see the mouse Reepicheep enter the fray only to have Peter yell at him: “Come back, Reepicheep, you little ass! You’ll only be killed! This is no place for mice.” Of course the valiant mouse ignores him.

They all waltz through Narnia and watch as Aslan changes people, or gives them the courage to throw off their bonds. Miraz and the Telmarines have done their best to make Narnia more like a regular world, and everyone is bored and has not been having a good time. That is all stopped. Prince Caspian is crowned king of Narnia and he gives his fealty to Aslan as any Narnian king should. It’s also great to see the persistence of Reepicheep and the mice, who beg Aslan to give him a new tail as it’s been cut off in battle. Persistence is definitely part of Christianity and in asking for things we need or want. God wants us to be persistent. But it is not merely persistence, but the love of the mice for their fellow mice that really moves Aslan to grant his request.

After an amazing, again, uniquely Narnian feast, we find out from Aslan that the Telmarines aren’t from there at all, but from the real world. No wonder they ended up trying to stamp out anything wonderful and magical in Narnia. In any case, it makes Caspian a son of Adam and daughter of Eve, so he is truly fit to be a king of Narnia. Aslan makes a door back into the real world and the kids go back to their regular lives. Sadly, Lucy and Edmund find out from Peter and Susan that their older siblings won’t be coming back to Narnia as they will be too grown up. The very end is great as Edmund realized he left his new torch, or, in American, flashlight back in Narnia. What fun.

Horrible Prosperity

Nov2

It is said that good times make men weak. The original quote is much longer from author G. Michael Hopf in his 2017 book, Those Who Remain. The entire quote is truth gold, but it is the first concept, the fact that prosperity ultimately makes men weak, that has many pondering today, including me. Never has the idea seemed more true or applicable than this year.

Without a doubt in my mind we are at a crossroads in the world, including my beloved country, the United States of America. It is a time when a large section of the world’s power is now firmly in the hands of criminals and tyrants. In the past, the world went through times like these as well, but technology plays a far larger role today, solidifying power in ways never before seen.

In a sinful world, there is something truly horrible about prosperity. This horribleness is, I think, what Jesus was referring to in the book of Mark when he said it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Prosperous people fall prey to the sin of pride, thinking they did everything on their own and forgetting that all they have, including their very selves, come from God. They, too, forget about their sinfulness and start thinking that somehow they can earn their way to heaven. The truth is a sinful human being can never earn his or way into heaven. It is only by the holy life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that any of us can enter heaven. But how easy in good times it is to forget this!

Salvation aside, good times are dangerous in this world for other reasons as well. They do indeed make men (and their women) weak. How easy it is to spend far too much of one’s time consuming instead of building, of devouring stories instead of creating them. In America, we are now having to remember that our freedoms are not free: they are kept only by our watchfulness and diligence, our sweat, blood, and tears. The criminals in power in this country are in power for one reason: We, as a people, were and are weak. We decided we didn’t have time to be involved in local politics and our school boards. We figured our checks and balances in governance would simply take care of themselves. Not so. We must hold our leaders’ feet to the fire. It is our duty, and I think would be so whether one lives under a king or a representative republic. But in this age of online cancelation culture, it is increasingly difficult to bring the criminals to account. Civilization itself is actually on the precipice. The criminals pushing for a one world government do not understand how far even they will fall should things continue. But maybe they do understand and maybe they are just evil enough not to care. Perhaps destroying everything is their joy. Oh, how, we have failed in keeping their power in check!

We who believe in freedom, truth, and God’s goodness, who find joy in the Lord, are now having to find new ways of getting the truth out, about what’s going on, about the dangers of vaccines, about, well, everything. We haven’t yet reached a point in which the Gospel is banned, but that won’t be far off if things continue. We don’t have to fear this, for we have God and he is certainly for us, and we know that his goal is to bring everyone to faith and salvation in him. How I long to have everything better again, everything good again. But then, then we would all become weak again. It is simply human nature. So now I pray for better times, but not too good of times that we lose sight of what’s really important. God is teaching us so many important lessons through all of this.

It is embarrassing just how weak we have been and still are. Evil only got this far because of us. God allowed it to take advantage of our weakness. But God’s goal is the same as always: Love. He wishes for us to turn to him and remember how much he loves us and how much we need him. He wishes for all men to be strong again, finding their strength in him alone. For those not afraid to face what’s coming, they are already changing, becoming stronger men and women. They are finding ways to get the truth out and the courage to speak it. They are finding that a job is less important than the truth and being able to make one’s own decisions in life. They are finding that being healthy is more important than being wealthy. They are learning not to trust the evil powers that be, but to trust in the Creator God. They are building new businesses and social platforms outside of the mainstream, parallel economies, and new, better ways of life. They are becoming “good” again. And so, if enough men do this, perhaps we shall have good times again. But, as good times make weak men and weak men make bad times, I, again, hope and pray our success and prosperity only goes so far. I pray we may have enough trouble and adversity to keep us sober minded and alert. I pray we keep that incentive to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the forefront of our hearts and minds until we breathe our last breaths. It’s strange to be thinking this way, to be praying this way, but if 2020 brought out the clarity of lies to many people, so 2021 is now the year to act on that. To pray in alliance with God’s will and God’s purposes, not our own any longer.

Even in these crazy times of 2021, with so much rampant stealing of public funds, of lying to the public about sickness and health, even with so many being forced out of great jobs, the majority of us may still have it too good to wake up to the truth of what’s happening around us. How many still think that the events around them won’t eventually touch them and affect their lives? How many still foolishly trust that the Godless authorities still have our good in mind? We are still, so, so weak, and God wants us to be strong, to be strong especially in him. And that’s not going to happen unless we face the consequences of our weakness. Weak men make bad times, often very bad times, and we may have to face truly bad times all around in the very near future. I don’t say this to scare you, and I don’t say this because I’m scared. I say this so we can prepare our minds and hearts for what’s to come. It is only faith and trust in God that will help us walk through the fire. He is our light when “all other lights go out.” Indeed, even if civilization falls, we can have some comfort in the fact that it is a civilization that has forsaken God that will fall. If we turn to and rely on him, God will bless us, will help us find a way, perhaps even to thrive, but hopefully not too well and not for too long, for it is harsh times, bad times, that spark men into becoming good and strong again. And we desperately need our men, and their women, to become strong again and to stay strong to spread that precious Word of Christ. Yet, as Christians, we do know that even in our weakness, maybe especially in our weakness, God uses us to show that he is the true power and joy of the universe.

So, although I welcome prosperity in my life and all our lives at some point, I also find it rather horrible, too.

Updates: Crazy week ahead

Oct23

As I’ve picked up some seasonal hours this week and am working every single day, I won’t likely have energy to post this coming week. I still am enjoying both Yumi’s Cells (also plan to read the webtoon), and Kairos, and also the webtoon CinnamonRoll. Elantris is a good read so far, but a little slow, and The Possessed is just all of the usual Dostoevsky weirdness. “See” you again after Reformation, aka Halloween. –Pixie

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

Oct15

This is a great video showing exactly how bad it is for anyone to have too much power. Conspiracies are not theories, but reality on a staggering scale. At the end of the day, I feel bad for these people. They have literally gained the whole world, but lost everything, especially salvation and eternal life in the world to come in heaven. They are as foolish, perhaps more so, than those who built the Tower of Babel so long ago. Christians ultimately have little to fear from these people, but we can do what we can to resist and stop them from harming our fellow human beings. The first and best weapon we have is prayer and I pray daily that God would thwart the plans of the wicked. Monopoly, Who Owns the World?

The Chronicles of Narnia, Book One, The Magician’s Nephew

Oct14

In my rereading of The Chronicles of Narnia, I just finished book six and am onto book seven, so might as well begin my reviews. C.S. Lewis doesn’t disappoint. He has such great ways of describing things and was also such a thinker of his time, but also a forward, big picture, thinker. Both are reflected in his writing.

The Magician’s Nephew

Copyrighted 1955. This is actually the second book Lewis wrote in The Chronicles of Narnia, but in order of the series timeline, the first. It is the creation story of Narnia. This one has always been in my top three of the Narnia books and even now, I’m still not sure if I like this or The Silver Chair better. This is the story of how Digory and his neighbor Polly run into Digory’s wicked uncle and end up in fantasyland.

Although there’s something about this story that always feels unformed to me, I think it works in the series as a whole, for on the one hand the plot is merely a precursor to the the next book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. On the other hand, in it’s own right The Magician’s Nephew deals very well with sin and evil. As the series is a Christian allegory, the sins of Digory, Uncle Andrew, and the rest are fully on display here, echoing the fall of humanity into sin in the Garden of Eden. It’s a good foreshadowing of more mistakes, temptations, and evil to come with the rest of the series, but also the promise that Aslan, a stand-in for God, or more specifically, for Jesus Christ, will reconcile everything and make it good again.

The magic green and yellow rings always fascinated me in this book, as did the long row of houses and how Polly and Digory move from one to the other in the attics and accidentally find Uncle Andrew’s office. Speaking of him, Uncle Andrew is seriously creepy! It’s an entirely different experience looking at him from an adult perspective rather than the child and young adult I was when I first read the series. He’s a gamma if there ever was one, even later thinking that the witch, Jadis, would fall in love with him. What a riot! Even to the end, he calls her a “dem fine woman.” Today he would totally be a male feminist. Uncle Andrew’s also so proud to be a super special secret magician, not once considering that just because one can do something, doesn’t mean that should do something. He perfectly embodies the mad scientists of today with their gain of function research and other monstrous experiments. Ironically, Uncle Andrew is important. Without him, the rest of the series wouldn’t have happened. Just as if Adam and Even hadn’t fallen, our great awesome salvation story wouldn’t have happened? Well, it’s interesting to think about, anyway.

The dying world Jadis comes from is interesting in its emptiness and of course Digory just has to ring that bell. I would be the same. It would be too tempting. As for the new world just beginning, I love the way Lewis describes Aslan and the creation of Narnia here. It’s a cool way to picture what the creation of our own world might have looked like.

Jadis is a haughty, evil diva. She is a more worthy opponent than evil guys like Uncle Andrew. She is through and through a villain. So is Andrew, but he’s so pitiful, one would rather just avoid him. Okay, now I can’t decide which kind of evil is worse, the one one you know you should confront right away, or the one that is awful, but doesn’t seem worth fighting, at least at first. Both have their place and both have been used throughout the world’s history.

I also like how Lewis embraces fantasy–really embraces it with all the weird creatures, not thinking them bad or wrong, but they could possibly exist. God could/could have create/d the and that would be just fine. Great, even. He can embrace it, because he has a good root, a sure faith in the real world and truth. I also like how humble people like cabbies can become kings. And what an awesome origin story for the lamppost!

As for the overly religious part: I like how Lewis deals a bit with the Tree of Life and how later Aslan tells Digory that if he had given some to his mother both would have regretted it. We don’t often really seriously think about what would have happened if Adam and Eve had eaten from the Tree of Life after Eating from the Tree of Knowledge. Imagine the constantly degrading world, constantly decaying, one’s body decaying and giving out and then not even being able to die. A whole different ball of wax than what we have now. In The Magician’s Nephew, Digory ultimately resists the temptation. This is a test from Aslan, a way to right Digory’s wrong of bringing Jadis to this world. I am happy he passes the test. I wish we could all pass the tests given to us, but it takes great faith, courage, and humbleness. The sacrifice of God necessary to truly atone for sin, Lewis leaves, or rather, wrote first in the second book that introduces us to the future kings and queens of Narnia: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy.

And, cooly, Lewis slips in that Digory is The Professor in the next book and how the wood from Narnia was made into the magical wardrobe from The Lion, the Witch, and the….

Witch’s Court: A Character Piece

Sep30

Although I’m disappointed this show isn’t as much of a RomCom as I thought it would be, I am digging it, especially the main character. At about 75% through, Witch’s Court is still engaging because it’s more of a character piece than anything else. Yes, the main plot is important, too, but even if prosecutor Ma Yi Deum doesn’t get the justice she’s hoping for, the writing leaves no doubt that she’ll keep on trying no matter what happens.

Witch’s Court came out in 2017 and stars Jung Ryeo Won (The Lord of Dramas) and Yoon Hyun Min (Tunnel) as public prosecutors Ma Yi Deum and Yeo Jin Wook. Yi Deum, by demotion, and Jin Wook, by choice. both end up working in the Crimes against Girls department, a place Yi Deum assures Jin Wook no prosecutor actually wants to be.

Ma Yi Deum is a love her or hate her character, though most will probably begin by disliking her. She’s abrasive, mannish, and conniving to a fault–barely any empathy can she spare for her own sex. But she’s our heroine, so of course Yi Deum is doing more than just climbing up the government ladder. Her tragic past has everything to do with the Crimes against Girls department, for when she was a kid her mother disappeared suddenly and we, the audience, get to know that her mother had some very key information on a sexual abuse case against a powerful police officer. That officer is now a politician and running for mayor of the city. It fast becomes Yi Deum’s goal to bring the rapist to justice.

This show is mostly a procedural one, focused on the cases brought to the department, and it’s a little off-putting that these crimes against women, children, and also men, are not really given the gravity they deserve. Everything is presented in a near-campy way, and like the prosecutors in the department, it’s easy for us to forget the horrific, invasive nature of the crimes throughout the show. On the other hand, sex and abuse crimes are pretty awful to handle. A whole show treating them as seriously as possible would also be hard to watch. The emotional weight of what the team is dealing with largely is shown to the audience through the actions of their stoic leader, Min Ji Sook, played excellently by Kim Yeo Jin (Man to Man), and the aforementioned Jin Wook, who really, really wants to be there.

Yi Deum and Jin Wook make an excellent team. The latter is far too emotional and empathetic, while the former is focused almost solely on winning the cases. Both make up for what the other lacks, and both are smart in different ways. Although there is clear attraction between the two, romance is a small part of the show. Yi Deum is a very masculine behaving woman and Jin Wook a man very in touch with his feminine side. This makes for a fun and funny dynamic, and the RomCom tables are turned a bit here, as it’s usually the guy who’s the jerk in the beginning.

Add to that a powerful soundtrack, great minor characters, and plenty of heartbreaking and frustrating cases, and Witch’s Court is a good, solid watch. Jung Ryeo Won is great as Yi Deum, and as annoying as she is, I really do like the character. Yoon Hyun Min, who is necessarily easy on the eyes, taps into his wonderful emotive acting that I first saw in the awesome show Tunnel. His Jin Wook is just a bit too much, too caring, too wanting to do the right thing. By the second episode it’s clear why both leads are still single.

Witch’s Court is a fun watch that rests heavily on the character of Yi Deum and her interactions with her opposite, Jin Wook. It stops short of being great, but hits all the points of a good RomCom without actually technically being a RomCom. This is a procedural drama with low-key comedy running throughout. I am excited to see how it ends.

Bethany Book Fair

Sep24

I am happy to announce I will be at the Bethany Book Fair this year in Mankato, MN. Got some cool posters, cards, etc., to give out and books to sell, namely Trolls for Dust, Seasons One and Two. Season Three is still in the works. The fair is part of the Fall Festival there and is on October 2nd, from 10AM-3PM in the SFC Younge Gym. Also, I am trying out a free ebook giveaway on Amazon. Never done this before, so we’ll see how it goes. It is for Trolls for Dust, Season One, and goes from October 1-5, 2021.

Happy Reading, everyone!

Vindication is coming, is already here.

Sep21

Have a busy day ahead of me, so not sure I’ll get around to any reviews, but want to encourage everyone to follow Project Veritas. Like them or hate them, they are doing work that the main stream journalists often aren’t. This forcing of the COV vaccine, any vaccine really, but this in particular is one of the biggest crimes of humanity and especially of government that is supposed to watch out for our well-being.

Every day, story after story, the reasonable stance not to take the vaccine is being vindicated over and over and over again. I thank God for all willing to stand up and tell the truth and for whistleblowers like this woman. Wish that I could be that brave. I am so sorry for all those that have been harmed by this and also for all the many living in constant fear. God bless and here’s the link. Not sure how long Youtube will keep it up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obdI7tgKLtA

Autumn in Minnesota and updates

Sep14

Autumn, Fall, Pumpkin Spice Season, whatever you want to call it, I love this time of year with the cooler weather perfect for leggings, jeans and sweatshirts. In Minnesota it always feels even more special, with all of the corn and beans ripening, the apples ready for picking, and the trees changing colors. Backyard grilling and fires over which to roast marshmallows. County and state fairs with delicacies galore. Favorite stop offs like the giant yellow candy store in Shakopee and pie at Emma Krumbee’s. New possibilities like zip lining at Kerfoot or exploring trails in Henderson. Hiking at the state parks and taking day trips with friends and family. Hunting for future Christmas gifts. Cooking fall dishes like butternut squash soup or spicy Indian food. Attending Trunk or Treats or Halloween/Fall parties. Drinking hot cider and hot cocoa. And especially, curling on the couch with a hot drink and a good book. Minnesota is awesome all around, but especially in the fall.

North Shore, Fall 2020
Tallest waterfall in MN – on border with Canada, Fall 2020

Some Updates: Only two more books, The Silver Chair and The Last Battle, until I finish The Chronicles of Narnia. So far The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is still my favorite.

I will be selling books at a book fair at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, MN, on October 2nd, so if you want copies of Trolls for Dust or an autograph, stop on by.

Loving The Possessed by Fyodor Dostoevsky so far and beginning another Brandon Sanderson one, Elantris. I am really trying to like and read Throne of Bones by Vox Day, but so far it is one long battle and that’s about it. Liked Summa Elvetica a lot better, but I will keep at it and hope once the story really picks up I will like it. Have another interesting fantasy series on my list: The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolf. Sounds like it might be difficult to get through, too, but I met a big fan of the series who really talked it up, so at least have to try it. Also reading The Moon-Spinners by Mary Stewart. Saw the movie based on this with Hayley Mills awhile ago and it was a trippy adventure. The book is waylaid by a lot of scenery description. Am I the only one who finds most detailed scenery descriptions unnecessary in stories? Guess I’m more of a get the plot moving or characters moving kind of girl.

As far as Kdramas: I am rewatching the awesome The Lookout or The Guardians starring Kim Young Kwang (Pinocchio) and Lee Si Young (Playful Kiss). It’s got a stellar soundtrack and lots of action and intrigue. Started Witch‘s Court/Witch at Court with Jung Ryeo Won (The Lord of Dramas) and Yoon Hyun Min (Tunnel). Although I’m excited to see Yoon as a leading man here, it’s a heavy topic: Two prosecutors end up working in the Crimes against Girls unit. Jung’s character is thus far rather unsympathetic to her sex, but I think that will change over time. She plays a character you love to hate that will turn into one you’ll just love. At least, I hope so. Both leads have good chemistry so far and the acting is good. They seem like real people. Maybe not regular, but real people.