Back at the beginning

I re-read Eye of the World, the first book in the Wheel of Time series, while I was away and had a couple of revelations...

First of all, I first read this book when I was about 13. The Eye of the World was published the year after I was born and I have been reading this series for an entire decade.

Also, it was really interesting to read it again now that I know (most of) what happens in the end. For example, certain characters which become major later but begin as relatively minor, are introduced very early on. Earlier than I realised. You can see the sparks flying between characters who will later get together as well - one couple declare their love for each other quite shortly after first meeting, and having hardly spent anytime talking together.

It's still difficult to keep all the characters straight in your head. We are introduced to a lot, and you have to try and guess who will become important and who is secondary, or wear yourself out concentrating on every new person.

The main characters do seem significantly younger in this first book - although several of the heroes do not change much in the way of personality, they are very naive about the world and their place in it. I think Jordan does a very good job of writing from the viewpoint of people struggling to expand their viewpoints to match a much larger reality.

It's strange which parts have stuck in my head, which have moved around in the order I thought they were set out, and those I have completely forgotten. Some are the cliches which Jordan can be mocked for - the constant habit of all the three boys at the center of the story to believe their friends are more confident and adept with girls, for example. Certain characteristics are also hammered home time and again; Perrin's slow manner, and Nynaeve's tugging of her braid (at some points in the series this quirk is present every time she is present).

Reading Eye of the World again was like revisiting old friends, the way you used to know them. Despite everything I know that has happened since, it was lovely to see the people they were, before being swept up in a grand adventure.

Fun in the sun

I'm off to Morocco this weekend, and very excited. As always, the number of books I will take are starting to compete with the number of clothes...Here is my draft list of what I want to take with me:

The Great Gatsby (going to see it this week, and think I should probably read it to compare)
Hegemony and Survival
The final Sookie Stackhouse book? (I would have to buy it, maybe in hardback, as it's not been out long)
The Better Angels of Our Nature (downsides: it's HUGE and borrowed from a friend, so would have to be more careful with it)
Wheel of Time - Eye of the World

Plus a magazine. And a notebook (but of course!).

Running Like a Girl

This is a brilliant book. I'd seen it advertised and was quite intrigued - I have been thinking about maybe, possibly, starting running sometime soon. Or at least giving it a try. This book actually made me get up and out the door, on my first proper run in a very long time. Alex is incredibly motivational, and her story manages to combine sound advice with humour and a welcome acknowledgement of the difficulties of starting a new sport and managing to keep at it. It also made me cry, on at least three separate occasions.

Have a read.

On my bookshelf

I've been doing most of my reading online lately, with a whole host of lovely blogs I've recently discovered. I'm still struggling through The God Delusion, but there's only so much of Richard Dawkins you can take at any one time. I also started Hegemony and Survival, by Noam Chomsky (really wanted to read some of his non-language stuff), which is good, but obviously less easy to get into than fiction.

I need to go back to the library really, especially as I am going away in about two weeks. What shall I pack for the trip? Probably Eye of the World - I honestly intend to reread the entire series, regardless of how long it takes me.

I've also been promised some free sci-fi from a friend, which sounds good. Speaking of which, if anyone hasn't seen the Ender's Game trailer:

Of course I'm going to be more picky about this particular film adaption than almost any other. I would also like to take this opportunity to BEG everyone I know to read it first. You really will not regret it.

So, things I like: the battle room looks really, really good. Things I don't: What's up with Ben Kingsley's face? And WHO is that girl in the middle of the trailer? If they have invented a love interest for the sake of "spicing things up" (they're meant to be kids, for God's sake) I think I might be sick. Also, also! Where is Bean? (How are they even going to portray Bean??) Disappointed there is no mention of Peter either. I know it's only a trailer, but I already have far too many expectations for this film.