Boys Rule Boys Read!: Of Norse Gods and Creepy Other Worlds

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Of Norse Gods and Creepy Other Worlds

Smile when you say that partner, it is I once again, the coolest Sith this side of Clint Eastwood, Darth Bill. Now I know your going to look at the two books I reviewed this go round and ask: "Bill, these books have girls as their main characters. What's up with that?" Well I'll tell you; even though these books have girls as the main characters, they kick some serious butt!!!!!! One of the books reviewed Runemarks has some serious cool dudes and chicks such as:

Odin - The All Father

Thor - The Thunderer

Loki - The Trickster

Skadi - The Huntress

Pretty cool looking characters wouldn't you say? I think so!!!!!!

And Coraline definitely earns "honorary guy status" because she's tuff as nails!!!!!!! So take a look at my thoughts on one great book and one great graphic novel.

Runemarks by Joanne Harris - This story is set 500 years after Ragnarok that ended the old world ruled by the Norse Gods. The main character in this story is a young girl named Maddy Smith who is born with a strange and magical birthmark. In Maddy's world "The Word" rules all with an iron-fist. In her world magic is taboo and imagination is highly discouraged. Because of what people perceive as Maddy's strangeness she is ignored by her father and has no friends. That is until one day when she meets and old wanderer called One-Eye who befriends here and teaches her to use the magic that has been lying asleep inside her. This book is filled with Norse Gods, Heroes, Villains and Monsters. This book will suck you in and you will not be able to put it down once you start reading it. This is a great book that I would put right up there with Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" book series. The one obvious difference is that this book rekindles excitement in Norse Mythology as opposed to Greek Mythology. This book definitely is one of my candidates for best book of 2008. Warning: This book does include some occasional curse words and probably should not be read if you or your parents are offended by such.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman Adapted & Illustrated by P. Craig Russel - Do you think it would be cool to get everything you wanted from your parents. Never having to hear then say no you can't do that or no you can't have that, etc. Well in this Graphic Novel Coraline and her parents have moved into a new house that has some very peculiar aspects to it. She finds through a bricked up doorway a gateway into another world that is exactly like hers yet different. She finds in this other world she has an other mother and father who refuse her nothing. Yet something does not feel right about this other world and worse Coraline's other mother does not want her to leave. Many mysteries and challenges Coraline must overcome if she is to return to the real world. This is a great adaption of a great book that I highly recommend.

Well hepcats that's all I got for now, but keep reading and having fun.

Peace,

Bill

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