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The Jevlir Caravansary

Month: September 2006

  • Out of Town – at Charisma Book Expo

    I’ll be out of town at the Charisma Book Expo from today (September 26) through Monday (October 2), so no new blog entries.

    Have fun all!

  • Book: The Bishop in the Old Neighborhood

    Somehow I didn’t catch this one when it came out in 2005, so I just got to reading it last week. I think I’ve already made it pretty clear that I like Andrew Greeley’s writing, though in most of his books one of the key reasons is theological. I think he produces the best representation of the gospel in fiction form of anyone I have ever read. I add that I find his stories entertaining as well, and I should note that he’s got to write the best sex scenes written by a celibate.

    The Bishop Blackie mysteries, on the other hand, are purest entertainment. In the background is Catholic church life, and the gospel is there, but it is not as much front and center. What we have is a set of excellent mysteries where the key detective happens to be a bishop.

    In this one, there is some serious mayhem in Cardinal Sean Cronin’s old neighborhood, involving a parish priest who is his classmate. With his typical “see to it, Blackie” he places the matter in Bishop John Blackwood Ryan’s capable hands, while he heads off to Rome to pick up a few markers. All the normal characters are there, the virtuous cops and the corrupt cops, the boorish and stupid feds, the stupid and somewhat venal as well as the dedicated priests.

    Since I tend to lose interest in long running series unless the authors are very good, the best recommendation I can give this book is that I enjoyed it as much as the first Father Blackie book that I read, and I’ll look for the next one with equal anticipation. (Honor Harrington, for example, has run long enough to lose my interest, but David Weber is just too good an author, but even though I adore Alan Dean Foster’s work, the latest Pip and Flynx novels seem to be getting weaker.)

    Look at the Energion.com page for The Bishop in the Old Neighborhood.

  • Books: The Taken Trilogy

    This trilogy by Alan Dean Foster consists of the books Lost and Found, The Light Years Beneath my Feet, and The Candle of Distant Earth.

    While I like Alan Dean Foster’s writing generally, though I find much of it much more entertaining than thought-provking (not a bad thing!), I found this trilogy considerably less interesting than the various stories placed in the Humanx Commonwealth. The final volume is the least interesting of the three. It seems to move from triumph to triumph with remarkably little tension for an Alan Dean Foster book.

    Those who enjoy Foster will still appreciate the humor and the general sense of fun. There are also quite a number of surprises. We do get a resolution at the end, indicating that this really is a trilogy and not an endless series.

    I guess I’ll just have to wait for another book from the Humanx Commonwealth. Meanwhile this is still not bad, just not what I expect and normally get from a master author like Foster.

  • Patience of a Saint: God with a Cosmic Baseball Bat

    I love books by Andrew Greeley, and this one is no exception. It’s way out of date, copyright in 1983, and in fact can only be found used on Amazon.com, but I generally write on this blog about what I’m reading right now, and this is one book. In the scattered way in which I have read Andrew Greeley’s books, this is not too surprising.

    Normally I’m a strong advocate of enjoyment in literature–read what you enjoy reading. I’m not much for standards of literary value, though there are things I would regard as destructive. But in the case of Andrew Greeley, there is a bit of an ulterior motive in my enjoyment. I believe Greeley presents the gospel in fictional form as no author author does. Now he tells a very good tale while doing so, but the gospel message–God’s implacable love–runs through these books from start to finish.

    In this book, Red Cain, the central character encounters God who is swinging a cosmic baseball bat. Having had a few similar encounters with God myself, I sympathize with the lead character in practically all ways. I can tell you what such an encounter with God feels like, and I can tell you that Greeley is accurate in presenting it. He’s also accurate in presenting other people’s reactions. I personally had a larger number of supportive people and a smaller number of people who were negative, but the whole range were there.

    Do I mean that this is some sort of theological work? No, though it has both a theological note and a sociological note at the end. It’s good Greeley style entertainment, with the descriptions of sexual encounters that have made people question how a priest could write them, action, suspense, superb characterization. It’s not really deep stuff as in hard to read, but I’m not one of those who favor literature that’s obscure. I like it pretty straightforward. If I didn’t like the story and characters so much, I might find a bit too much human interest rather than movement of the story for my taste, but as it is, it’s all quite manageable.

    With Amazon offering copies for as little as $0.01 (plus their shipping and handling) and copies in libraries around the country, you can afford to take the time to read this. It may help you renew your commitment to God. It might even help you with the more difficult task of renewing your commitment to your family and your community, both physical and spiritual.

  • Reading and Viewing – 9/13/06

    I’ve been reading a viewing a variety of things over the last couple of weeks and I thought I’d comment on a few of them and provide “buy” links.

    First on my list is a mystery by a new author (for me), Donna Andrews, titled Access Denied. This is one of a series, the Turing Hopper mysteries, featuring a sentient, or near sentient, artificial intelligence. I found the characters interesting, but not fascinating, and the artificial intelligence is an interesting concept, though I don’t think a great deal was done with it. I rate this book a 3 of 5 (My Book Ratings).

    To keep my hand in with reading I can count on for enjoyment, I also read two books by Terry Pratchett, Lords and Ladies and Men at Arms. Pratchett can always be counted on for good fun, and I rate the discworld novels a 4 pushing a 5. I have to be honest and admit that there are others books that I will pick up first, so the most honest rating is 4.

    I did try a new book, Joanne Fluke’s Cherry Cheesecake Murder, subtitled A Hannah Swensen Mystery with Recipes. If I were to rate this one myself, I would be forced to give it a rating of one, but I also loaned it to my wife. Her tastes and mine overlap but are not identical. The average rating should probably be about a 3 or 4. The problem is that I have little patience for a book that spends too much time building the characters while leaving me without any action. I prefer characterization that happens more as the story moves. Further, the recipes don’t interest me, which I knew when I picked up the book. In other words, this isn’t a bad book; it’s just not a book for me. Jody thought it was pretty good.

    To round out my reading I picked up a couple by Ngaio Marsh, Light Thickens and When in Rome. Marsh is regular reading for me. There’s some similarity to Agatha Christie, but though that comparison originally attracted me, as I’ve read Marsh I don’t see them as all that similar. One major difference is that Marsh’s lead characters appear to be more official than Christie’s.

    Now for viewing, I have to admit to indulging my love for British comedy, I watched a number of episodes of Jeeves and Wooster, which I find quite amusing in a light sort of way, and a few more of Yes, Minister/Yes Prime Minister.

    In terms of full length movies I watched Creator, which is somewhat humorous but doesn’t attain to greatness (I waver between a 2 and a 3). Next was Mr. Holland’s Opus, which I rate as a 4. That’s not really all, but I didn’t really keep a list.

    Of the current crop of TV programs, the only one I’m following with diligence is The Closer (First Season). This is one of the several shows (CSI and West Wing are others) that my wife and I both follow with diligence, even extending to recording them when we’re out, a truly rare accolade on our part.

    Well, that’s it. Perhaps you’ll find some reading or viewing ideas in the list. I’ll continue to write fuller reviews of materials that are new to me, and that I realy find attractive.

  • The Testimony of Sunday Lunch

    (Note: All characters, and churches portrayed in this story are, as always, fictional. The attitudes, unfortunately, are not.)

    Don’t forget hospitality, because by it some have unknowingly entertained angels. — Hebrews 13:2

    The sermon was about love and hospitality. Sam was unusually touched by the message, and as he and his wife Joyce exited the church, they saw the middle aged man, alone, taking the fastest way to the exit of the church. Sam was pretty sure the man was a visitor. He’d never seen him before, and he did tend to notice these things.

    “Let’s treat him to lunch,” he said, turning to his wife.

    (more…)

  • The War on Fun and Imagination

    The War on Fun and Imagination

    It seems as though practically every day I hear complaints about people having fun. It really doesn’t matter whether it’s how they talk or live, or the type of entertainment they watch or read, or the sports they play, some humorless wet blanket is going to try to smother their enjoyment.

    I’ve personally encountered this a few times with reference to role-playing games. Now it so happens I’m not active with role-playing any more, and haven’t been for a few years. But that’s not because I decided they were a bad thing, or that people shouldn’t get involved in them and enjoy them. It’s just about this time of my life and my priorities. As one can tell from this blog, I still put my imagination to work from time to time working out stories in imaginary worlds. With a nifty little blog like this I can post my stories to be ignored, enjoyed, criticized, or whatever else, and it’s just plain fun.

    (more…)

  • Birth of a Religion

    Marat, priestess of Utu, adjusted her position until she had a clear shot both at the priest of Velanac, and at the drummers who stood to either side. To her left, she could see Amrar, priest of Ra, also prepared with a short bow, not all that different from hers. She stifled a laugh. It’s probably a minute or so before midnight out in the real world above, though I can’t tell in this cave, she thought. I can barely move, my magical strength is expended, all my healing items, herbs, and other mixtures are empty. I’m bandaged around the chest, on one leg, and both arms. Pulling this bow is going to be painful. It’s a fitting end to my career.

    Somewhere to her left, she knew that her colleague, no, associate Natisha was sneaking around the edge of the cavern. Just out of sight of the entrance stood the Lord Kaltros, leader of this little expedition, along with the three remaining hired guards. A few meters behind them would be Lord Mayor Zirdan, mayor of Sidroc, who was the expedition’s patron. He was lying on a stretcher after being hit by several crossbow bolts in their last encounter. It was miraculous that, without any remaining priestly healing ability in the party, he was still alive.

    With everyone injured in some way, it seemed likely that this would be the end. The only surprise was the absence of guards to stop them from getting into position to attack the high priest, but she wasn’t going to complain about that. Perhaps they could at least interrupt whatever ritual he was performing before they all died in the inevitable counterattack.

    (more…)

  • Simple Risk

    Jerin, legal advocate, could not quite believe the young woman facing him across the table. They were in the Aagerinar city jail, and he had been asked to take her on as a client.

    “Marita, heir to the Earl Northmarch, and also third in line for the Duchy of Aagerinar,” he said, reciting the known data. “How old are you, anyhow?”

    “Rumor has it I’m 15.” Her expression didn’t change. She was relaxed, even serene. There was no sign of the tension he would expect of a young woman under arrest.

    “Rumor has it? Don’t you know?”

    “My adoptive mother guessed I was eight when she adopted me. That was seven years ago. In actuality, nobody knows for sure.” Very slight amusement showed. He suspected that if this girl did know, she wouldn’t be telling. “But none of this is important right now. I need you to do some work for me.” Not “represent me” or “defend me.”

    “If I’m to represent you,” he said, “You’ll need to follow my instructions exactly and trust yourself completely to my care. You are charged with a serious crime, and it’s under the city jurisdiction, not the ducal, so you it won’t be easy.”

    “On the contrary,” said Marita, “You’ll do exactly as I say, speak when I tell you to, and be quiet when I want you to. You will merely be a voice.” It was amazing how, when you started from the original serenity, slight changes could convey a great deal of meaning. Now there was a hardness in her expression that would permit no argument.

    “Someone your age can’t do that!” he said. “The legal system can be complicated, and you can’t count on your birth to save you from this one. City judges aren’t chosen by the Duke, and aren’t susceptible to the kind of influence you’re used to using.”

    “I can get someone else. Or you can sit beside me, win this case, and get the fame that results. It’s your choice. But remember, I don’t deal well with disloyalty. You’ll agree to do things exactly as I say.” Still that hardness around the lips.

    Jerin considered for a few moments. He could end up looking like a fool, but on the other hand, Marita had the reputation for living a charmed life, she was close friends with the Ducal heir, her mother was the High Priestess and founder of the Ecumencial Temples of the Sun, and her father was the Earl Northmarch. The odds she was going to end up swinging by the neck from the end of a rope were probably small.

    (more…)