Finious

Enlightenment Cannot Be Enforced

It’s a pop sci-fi action / adventure TV show, talking about a bunch of super-evolved alien ancestors, but it also seems to be saying so much more; a more I happen to agree strongly with… Those who are truly “enlightened” do not force, judge or condemn those who have yet to find it; know that it is a never-ending quest; and are aware that there are many different paths to find it.

“I can’t speak for everyone in my galaxy, but in my own humble opinion, I don’t believe that any individual or society can achieve enlightenment through fear-mongering and force and servitude no matter what power is presented as evidence… Don’t get me wrong, we should all be trying to better ourselves. If Ascension is the ultimate end we’re all trying to achieve, then so be it, but we should all be allowed to get there or not of our own free will. Kill me for saying that, but that is what I believe. Nothing you say or do will ever change my mind.” – Daniel Jackson, Stargate SG-1 S09E03 “Origin”

Review: The Republic of Thieves

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch
Gentleman Bastard series #3
View book info on GoodReads

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
First Published: Oct 8th, 2013
Read from: Dec. 29, 2015 to Jan. 9, 2016

The Best Yet in a Series of Bests!

The Republic of Thieves is the 3rd book in Scott Lynch’s “Gentleman Bastard” series. I loved the previous books in this series but did not review them properly. I gave the first, The Lies of Locke Lamora, a very late, and very basic review. The second, Red Seas Under Red Skies, I reviewed not at all.

The reason for this was there was simply so much I wanted to say about both books. And every attempt I made to say any of it did not do the books justice in my mind. But I tried to show just how much these books entertained and moved me. I rated them both 5 out 5 stars.

Now that I have read the third book, I wish I had rated the earlier ones less, or that I could some how rate this one MORE than 5 stars. If I could I think the The Republic of Thieves would be 8 out of 5 stars. If not more! If I could scale the books in order of great to awesome it would be “Red Seas”, “Lies”, and at the top of this very excellent pile would be “Republic”. Read the Full Review

Pull the Shade on the Night

poem © Jeffrey Beaty
written Dec. 31, 2015
24 lines

Times change, and so must I. Appropriate for the beginning of a new year.

This poem began like many of my poems, as a bit of negative maudlin dribble. And then it took a turn for the better. That positive spin was a little bit a conscious choice, but also kind of where I’m at… Trying to break the habits my brain likes to get into and drive outside the “ruts” my grey matter likes to follow. But this turn was also a little what actually occurred, and shows that nothing always stays the same. And if you look hard you can find something to enjoy, be happy or thankful for even in the worst of times. Read the Poem

My 2015 Year in Books

I’ve used GoodReads.com for a few years now to keep track of the books I want to read, am currently reading, and have read. Occasionally I’ll review books there and I usually post those reviews on this blog. For the most part I really like the site.

One of the things GoodReads does that I kind of like is a yearly “Reader Challenge”. Basically you record the number of books you think you’ll read for a year, and then as long as you are recording when you have finished a book, it shows you how far along you are to reaching your “goal”. Continue reading My 2015 Year in Books

The Storytelling Animal

“We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.” – The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human by JONATHAN GOTTSCHALL

I haven’t read this book, but stumbled on this quote which I really like and it rings very true for me. I may decide to check this out from library, as it has good reviews, doesn’t sound too technical and it supposedly a quick and entertaining read. Regardless, I want to remember this quote.

The Last Kingdom Season 1 Finale

I finished watching Season 1 of The Last Kingdom, the TV series adaptation of the first two books of Bernard Cornwell‘s Saxon series of historical novels set in 9th and 10th century Britain. I liked it a lot and hope they renew it for a second season and continue to adapt the books. Very well done.

This scene from Episode 8 tickled my funny bone. Spoilers ahead so read no further if you want to experience this for yourself…. Continue reading The Last Kingdom Season 1 Finale

The Still Point of the Turning World…

I discovered the poem “Burnt Norton” in a recent post from Brain Pickings, a blog I have really found engaging on multiple levels. So many thoughts and literary works it has brought to my attention that I have wanted to pursue. But there is so much to read, so little time, and I DO so love my Sci-Fi & Fantasy escapes.

Anyway, back to the point. Below is a bit of the poem “Burnt Norton” by T. S. Eliot which is all about Time and our perception of it, and a little about writing & poetry, and how the universe and our bit of time in it, does have an order (Logos), and that writing and poetry is our attempts to encapsulate a bit of that order, that bit of time, into our own mutable words. I need to study this poem much more, as there are parts that I don’t quite grasp but “feel”. Continue reading The Still Point of the Turning World…

Review: The Man in the High Castle

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
View book info on GoodReads

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
First Published: Jan 1, 1962
Read from: Nov. 14 to Nov. 24, 2015
Awards: 1963 Hugo Award for Best Novel

Intense, disturbing, and sad; yet full of beauty hidden behind ugliness.

Life in the 1960’s in a United States that lost World War II and has been split between Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan

I’ve been wanting to read this for a long time. I watched the first episode of the Amazon series and decided it was past time for me to read this and compare the two. Like the show, this book is pretty dark and disturbing. Partly because you can SEE how easily the American society could adapt. I happened to be reading this during the ISIS attacks in Paris and the deep religious and racist backlash that occurred in the press and social media was all the more disturbing combined with reading this dark alternate history of a US that lost World War II.
Read the Full Review

Short Story: Red Friday

I’ve been working on this short story off and on for about a month and a half. I just now finished it and am scrambling to publish it here today as it is of course very appropriate for the “season”. The original idea came from another writing exercise from my local writer’s group. The group was to meet this time just before Halloween, so the organizer decided we should all write a story that had to incorporate a specific quote from Stephen King. The quote in question made me immediately think of… well, Black Friday. The reason why is another story entirely.

But hopefully you will enjoy this story. It’s a bit of a tribute to Stephen King, the Evil Dead series, and basically incorporates the way I feel about the commercial nightmares the holiday seasons have become. Read the Short Story

Author: Finious