Review: The World of Ice & Fire gives a vast history to a vast world

Hi everyone. I got another book read that I am going to review today. After weeks of reading, I finally finished The World of Ice & Fire.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Story:
Unlike most stuff I read this doesn't really have a narrative to tell. However it is still interesting to read what is essentially supposed to be a history book for George R. R. Martin's world of Westeros. Going back to a time before men, Martin tells the history of Westeros and several other lands that serve as the setting for his epic fantasy series. This book also recounts the history of each of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, from the time when they were first settled up to the end of the Mad King's reign. We also get to learn of the lands beyond Westeros, and get some of their history as well. The addition of the illustrations helps to create the image of the events of Westerosi history for those who are getting into the books.
I am greatly impressed with the amount of imagination and creativity Martin put into his fantasy world. There are some things about parts of Martin's world that I don't like, but I understand the point that this is a different world. People will have customs and traditions that I won't agree with, just like people in ancient times didn't agree with some of the ideas that other nations had. Since this is the history of Westeros it's no different than if a person were reading about the Pharaohs of Egypt or how people lived in Medieval Europe. Reading this made me reflect on the history I've been creating for my books, and showed me that I probably still have a lot of work to do to make things fun for readers. Probably not for younger readers, but adults who love fantasy and/or are fans of Martin's books or the show Game of Thrones will want to add this book to their library.
Caution:
Incest is part of a family's history, though the effects of such a way of life are shown later in their history. Various kingdoms and people are mentioned as taking people as salt wives and concubines. There is a picture that, although faint and not clear, depicts the worship of a love goddess on an island. Some illustrations show cleavage and some outfits are reminiscent of Princess Leia's metal bikini. Wars and battles are listed.
Lessons:
We have such a vast world with complicated histories and cultures. We should seek to learn as much about the histories and cultures of another nations as well as our own.

Review of Prophet: The Story of Nat Turner

Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't been blogging so much. I've been trying to make sure I stay caught up in school. I did read a book I wanted to share with you. It's different from other books I've reviewed because this one is historical fiction. It's called Prophet: The Story of Nat Turner.

This story is written as a screenplay which makes it easy to follow and understand. We learn about Nat Turner and the horrible things slaves were made to go through during the years preceding the Civil War. However Nat's faith in God gives him the strength to endure all the cruelties and harshness of the world around him and eventually he sets out to change things forever.

Kenya Cagle does an excellent job of presenting the lifestyle of the southern states preceding the Civil War. We learn that because the plantation owners treated others poorly they reaped what they sowed. It can be a little sad and disheartening to read about these things. Nevertheless it is important to remember these events so we can learn from them and try to avoid repeating history. Well done, Kenya Cagle.

Stars: 5 out of 5.

Happy Day After Easter (some history and review)

Hi everyone, sorry about the delay with blogging for the last couple of weeks. I was really busy getting ready for final exams and visiting with family. Now that I'm back home, I can do my blog in peace. Although it's the day after Easter, I thought I should do what I did around Christmastime and do some history for the holiday.
For several people across the globe, Easter is a very important day for Christianity. Around this time, the Savior Jesus Christ suffered for the sins of the world in the Garden of Gethsemane and was betrayed by his disciple Judas Iscariot. He was found guilty of false charges and sentenced to be crucified. I'm not going to go into all the details because what happens is pretty sad, but happened on Good Friday (which, ironically, was the day that President Lincoln was assassinated). A few days later, on Easter, a group of women went to the tomb of Jesus only to learn from angels that He had been resurrected.
Although Easter is a special day for Christianity, another interpretation of the holiday came up over the years. The holiday spread away from religious meaning to have a more joyful look on the occasion. People use the time as an opportunity to paint eggs many colors, like oval rainbows, and put them in baskets with candy, from chocolate bunnies to jelly beans, to gifts. To entertain children, stories came up of a certain animal who delivers these baskets to people. That animal is Peter Cottontail, the Easter Bunny.
The Easter Bunny, like Santa Claus, first came up sometime during the time of the Holy Roman Empire. According to legend, the Easter Bunny would leave treats for children who had been good. I'm not exactly sure why a rabbit was chosen, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's because they can be quick when they want to and they are adorable to children. Although there haven't been many movies about Easter or that feature the Easter Bunny, this fellow is known by children across the world.
I did this review for this book a while back, but I thought that this would be a good time to blog about it. The book which I think is a good read for this time of the year is Sara's Journey by Patti Chiappa.Sara's Journey is a story worth reading because it is a tale that touches the heart. The story is about a man named Turner, who learns of a woman named Sara, who suffered damages in a fire and has lost faith in the Lord. Feeling abandoned, she secludes herself from the world and wallows in self pity. Through the efforts of Turner and the entire town, Sara begins to see the good in the world and learns that we are never alone. If you want a story that moves you and brings feelings of peace and happiness to you, this is one you must read.
So that's why I thought I should share this review for this time of year. It's a touching story about finding faith in yourself and the Lord. This story and this holiday are both to be remembered. I hope that all of you had a good holiday this year.

Valentine History

Hey sorry about this being a couple of days late, but better late than never. I know that all of you know what Valentine's day is, but do you know how it came about? Well, I was told this legend about the holiday a long time ago when I was still in elementary school:

Long ago, there lived an emperor who wanted to increase the number of soldiers in his armies. However, married men were reluctant to leave their wives and families, so the emperor passed a law that made it illegal for men to marry. Valentine, however, did marriages in secret, so young couples were still able to continue. When the emperor found out what Valentine was doing, he threw him into prison and ordered him to be executed. On the day of his execution, he gave what legend says was the first card to the jailer's daughter, which said "From your Valentine".

I did read that there were a couple of Christian martyrs who were named Valentine. One was martyred in Rome, the other in what is now Terni. The two of them are honored on February 14 because it bears their name (and was probably named after them). They were probably executed for their faith in Christianity instead of love like most legends suggest. However, the name Valentine has come to represent a day for people who love each other. Sorry about no pictures. Hopefully the next blog will feature some.

The History of Christmas

Well, we've only got 23 days, almost 22, left until the most wonderful day of the year arrives. This holiday is widely celebrated across the globe as a time to be with family, and to help make others happy. Christmas has become a time of decorations, cookies, presents, and Santa Claus, but the message behind it all has remained the same. Let's take a trip through time to see how the holiday began.
The word Christmas first appeared sometime in the year 1038. It was used as a day of feasting and celebrating of the birth of Jesus Christ, and christian scholars in those days had agreed that the day of that event was December 25. This has been debated by many scholars for years, but the depth of those arguments are too long to go into. The point is, it was a day set apart in the middle ages for people to celebrate the birth of the Messiah.
For many people, this tradition continues to this day. The Nativity is one of the most famous stories children can read about during this time of year. Many Christian churches do different things to bring this event to life (from plays to walkthroughs, where people can walk about in a re-created Bethlehem). Some people even set up Nativity sets outside of their homes so people who drive by can enjoy the memory of the holiday's origins.
As time went by, people have added more ways to celebrate this holiday. People in Roman settlements (and some Jewish people as well) used to bring in branches from evergreen plants for the winter. Some of these plants included holm, ivy, bays, and hollies (which is still used as a decoration today). The Christmas tree was a way to Christianize a pagan tradition surrounding the Winter Solstice, which involved green plants as well. The custom was first said to have originated in Germany before becoming widespread in Britain by 1841. However, it wasn't until about 30 years later that Christmas trees began popping up in America. Today we add ornaments and lights to the trees, probably as a way to keep light shining in the darkness.
Some people may think Christmas carols may be a thing which is relatively new, but it isn't. Songs about this holiday go all the way back to 4th Century Rome, the first being Veni redemptor gentium. Songs were added on in the Middle Ages including Adesti Fidelis (O Come All Ye Faithful, which is still sung today). One of the most famous carols added was in 1818, and Austria was the first country to hear Silent Night. Christmas carols have been added that appear to be mainly for entertainment purposes, including Deck the Halls (1784) and Jingle Bells (1857, and was copyrighted in America).
Probably one of the most iconic practices this time of year is gift giving. Many companies and businesses use this as a way to bring in lots of money this time of year. However, in the Middle Ages, it was banned by the church because they thought it had pagan origins. However, it was reinstated after being recognized as a symbol of the gifts the Magi brought the baby Jesus on that special day. Today we have a new person who brings gifts to girls and boys across the world...Santa Claus.
Santa, unarguably one of Christmas's most famous icons, didn't start out as a jolly man from a workshop at the North Pole. The earliest version of Santa Claus was Saint Nicholas, who was Bishop of Myra during the 4th century. Saint Nicholas loved children, and used to care for them and give them gifts. A feast was eventually established on December 6 where the practice of gift giving came to fruition. Saint Nicholas would check the behavior of children for a year, and would decide if they deserved a gift or not. Over the years, the story of a man giving gifts to good children spread throughout Europe, although the name would change. Examples included Father Christmas and Kris Kringle (an English corruption of Christkindl), and the practice of gift giving was moved to December 24 (Christmas Eve). When those traditions and stories were brought over to America, the name became Santa Claus. Originally drawn in Bishop's robes, his attire was changed to the fur-wearing old man we know today. The elves and Mrs. Claus would not come until much later.
Although Christmas goes back a long way and has had many changes over the year, the spirit of the holiday remains the same. It's a time where we gather with friends and family to enjoy each others company. No matter how many changes the holiday may experience, the spirit of love and joy will always be in the holiday.

Dragons Through the Ages

One of the most common creatures to encounter in the realm of fantasy, whether it's in a book, a movie, or in a country's legends or myths, is the dragon. Almost every culture that exists on this planet has a dragon of some sort. Sometimes they're large, winged reptiles that eat damsels and fight knights, other times they're protectors of nature and symbols of power. The question that I'm going to answer is: What is it about dragons that makes them so popular?
To answer this question, we must look back through the history of the dragon. The earliest cultures told stories of large, snakelike creatures that were said to be the bringer of storms and thunder. The Greeks called these creatures draco (which translates into English as dragon). Oftentimes they would be guarding treasure or something extremely valuable which the local town or village would be in desperate need of. Usually the legends would have some hero rise up to face and slay the beast (occasionally at the cost of their own life). These tales are common in stories from medieval Europe, but they have their origins in Greek and Babylonian folklore. To these people, the dragon would symbolize something terrible that held the promise of wealth once the big nasty reptile was out of the way.
Not every culture viewed dragons in such a way. In Asian cultures (particularly China and Japan) the dragon was worshiped oftentimes as a diety that would bring rain in times of drought. They still maintained the serpentine look, but this time they had clawed feet (varying from 5 to 3). The people of China believe that dragons are a sign of good luck, and still honor the dragon by having dragons in their new year celebrations. Never once did these creatures seek to eat anyone, and this may be the reason why they have survived into modern times.
Dragons are also mentioned in the Bible, but this time they are portrayed once again as vile, evil creatures. The bible often uses the word dragon to describe the Devil or something fierce. It is very possible that since these were large, scary creatures, their name was used to try and make people fear that which was evil a lot more than they did before. That belief carried on over to medieval times, where dragons began to take on the form of large winged reptiles breathing fire and threatening to eat princesses and damsels in distress.
Today our depictions of dragons are similar, but sometimes they vary. Most often in these times artists, movie makers, and writers describe dragons as large dinosaur-like creatures with bat wings breathing fire (although the Chinese still hold true to their ancestral depiction of the dragon). However, now dragons are more than just large monsters that guard treasure and eat people. Authors have written dragons to be helpful companions to humans and work with them to protect the innocent (the common depictions of these are found in the Dragonriders of Pern series and the Inheritance Cycle). Video games make them large, hard-to-beat bosses that if not stopped could destroy the land. Sometimes the dragons have the power to speak, other times they don't. They can either be made lovable characters for children (like Elliot in Pete's Dragon or in Dragontales) or hideous scary creatures (like in Reign of Fire and the Harry Potter series). One thing is for sure: It is very hard not to find a dragon somewhere in the world.
So, in conclusion, what is it about dragons that has made them so popular? They have existed in almost every culture across the globe, they are large and intimidating, they can breathe fire, and they seem to be unstoppable. My guess is that the reason dragons are so popular is that they are something the entire world can identify in the world of fantasy.