My Name is Denise Forrester

category: fantasy, author:

Nick Brooks

original copyright 2005,
read in January 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

I didn't get very far with this book.

I think that some people would enjoy it. I didn't.

The blurb refers to Denise Forrester as "a changeling child". To me, that means, swapped at birth with a fairy child. So, fairies... fantasy...

As far as I can tell -- from as far as I read -- Denise is a weird kid. Really weird. With a sister who is just as weird and -- possibly -- imaginary. This is a story of one child -- or possibly two children -- who live a fantasy life.

But not -- again, as far as I can tell -- not a fantasy life with fairies. A fantasy life of their own imaginations.

I categorise the book as "fantasy". I don't really think that it is. But I just can't bear to categorise it as "humour"...

After a few weird chapters -- chapters which seemed to jump backwards and forwards in time, as well as from place to place -- I read the comments on the back. "Made me laugh out loud..."

Oh.

It's fuuunny...

Okay, it may be funny.

But, as my mother used to say, "subtle". Meaning... I just don't get it.

On the other hand... This is a readable book. If you know what is going on -- if you understand how funny it is to be a weird outsider, taunted and bullied by all the other children, forced to retreat into a fantasy world of your own -- then you may enjoy this book.

It's not a bad book. It may be worth the one cent that Amazon claim is its current price. Feel free to give it a go.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes, problems or documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

The Return of the King / J.R.R. Tolkien

The Return of the King

category: fantasy, author:

J.R.R. Tolkien

book 3 of The Lord of the Rings
original copyright 1954,
read in January 2011 (and before, at least 15 times, since March 1970)

Agamedes' opinion: 10 out of 10

The edition that I'm reading has illustrations by Alan Lee. Brilliant! This illustrated edition was a treat to myself, after many years of reading a one volume paperback. A paperback which was gradually falling apart from heavy use.

So I bought the three volume illustrated hardback. Every so often I take it out and read it. Or read just a section... There is a great pleasure in reading a great book. There is a great -- but separate -- pleasure reading a book which also looks and feels good.

Other than that, what can I say?

Eowyn on the Pelennor Fields still brings a tear to my eyes. I smile, as Strider tells Merry to ask the herb-master for some pipe-weed. I worry, as the hobbits move so slowly back to the inevitable trouble back home in the Shire.

The Two Towers / J.R.R. Tolkien

The Two Towers

category: fantasy, author:

J.R.R. Tolkien

book 2 of The Lord of the Rings
original copyright 1954,
read in January 2011 (and before, at least 15 times, since March 1970)

Agamedes' opinion: 10 out of 10

Greatest book ever!

Aside: Before you argue, But what about such-and-such a book... A marketing lecturer once explained that a product may be called -- without argument -- "the best". And that many products -- even very similar, competing, products may also be "the best". It's only if you claim that your product is "better" that you had better be ready to stand up in court to defend your claim. So...

The Two Towers -- and each of the other parts of The Lord of the Rings -- are the greatest books ever! Not (necessarily) better than your own favourites. Just the best!

Yes, I have often read quickly through the adventures of Frodo and Sam as they battle their way to Mordor. It seems just a little bit slow, when compared to the battles and heroism of the other threads of the story.

This time I read just a little slower -- and enjoyed it even more!

Frodo and Sam offer a kind of plodding heroism. Not the eye-rolling, ham-acting, looney-on-the-loose look of the movie Frodo. Just understated, never-give-in heroism. Companionship, unexpected friends, loyalty and good plain hobbit sense.

If you enjoy fantasy -- if you enjoy a good adventure story -- The Lord of the Rings is a must-read.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes, problems or documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection / Art Gallery of WA

Peggy Guggenheim Collection

category: a Collection of ... Art?, author:

Abstract Expressionist Artists ... ?

from the Peggy Guggenheim Venice collection,
visited in January 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 5 out of 10 -- good for a laugh.

I just wish that I had met Peggy Guggenheim. I bet she would have been a sure-fire purchaser of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I'm only selling the bridge because my dear friend the Manager of the Stateless Bank of Nigeria is recently deceased. He left me a bequest and specifically requested that I give $100,000,000 (one hundred million dollars) to my dear friend Pegggie Gaagenherm. Just send $10,000 transfer fee, details of your bank account and a sample signature. Your $500,000,000 (five hundred million dollars) will be on its way as soon as we can clear customs, which will require you to pay a further minor deposit of $17,000...

You get the idea: Guggenheim was a sucker with too much money and no sense of when she was being had.

The Fellowship of the Ring / J.R.R. Tolkien

The Fellowship of the Ring

category: fantasy, author:

J.R.R. Tolkien

book 1 of The Lord of the Rings
original copyright 1954,
read in January 2011 (and before, at least 15 times, since March 1970)

Agamedes' opinion: 9 out of 10

There are two types of people in the English-reading world: those who have read The Lord of the Rings... and those who should have.

In 1970 I was in Europe. Travelling around. With a paperback copy of The Lord of the Rings. I have read that paperback copy many times... many, many times. Now I am (re-)reading a glossy 1970 three-volume hardback, with illustrations by Alan Lee. Yes, illustrations by Alan Lee -- the artist who inspired much of the look of the movie...

So, why am I re-reading the book? It's because I have just re-watched a bit of the movie...

Carter Beats the Devil / Glen David Gold

Carter Beats the Devil

category: fictional biography, author:

Glen David Gold

original copyright 2001,
read in January 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

This book is sort of entertaining, as far as I read it. I lasted to page 77 out of 563... It's not a bad book. Just not something that grabbed at my attention.

There's an article in today's newspaper, I bought these books to raise my shelf esteem (The West, 18 Jan 2011) which inspired me to stop reading Carter. "Inspired"? Is that the correct word when I was ... internally convinced ... to stop reading? Anyway.

Dragonclaw / Kate Forsyth

Dragonclaw

category: fantasy, author:

Kate Forsyth

book 1 of Witches of Eileanan
original copyright 1997,
read in Jan 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 5 out of 10

Warning: This is not a novel! It is not even one book of a trilogy... It is the first volume of a three (or more?) volume story.

Yes, it's one of those annoying books which ends with a cliff-hanger. Or several.

Okay, I did enjoy reading this book. Until about page 400 of 500 -- when I thought, There is no way that this plot can wrap itself up in just 100 more pages...

A dead giveaway, really: A group of new characters being introduced at what should have been a build-up to a climax. And all these characters did, was to meet other characters and escape from an evil city... No link to any previous action. No link to any subsequent action, either...

From there, Forsyth introduced yet another set of characters... Introduced them, then left them.

The Lord of the Rings : The making of the movie trilogy / Brian Sibley

The Lord of the Rings : The making of the movie trilogy

category: marketing..., author:

Brian Sibley

original copyright 2002,
read in January 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

Did you watch the movies of Lord of the Rings? Then grab this book, have a skim and be amazed! The effort behind the scenes was amazing.

The book itself is less than amazing.

It's an eye-opener but... really... a marketing exercise.

The Dark Age / Traci Harding

The Dark Age

category: fantasy, young adult, author:

Traci Harding

book 1 of The Ancient Future
original copyright 1996,
read in January 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10

This is a children's book. Well, young adult, perhaps. Even more, it is for girls.

The heroine is a modern girl -- with long, flowing and possibly curly hair -- who is drawn back in time to the fifth century AD. There, she uses her clever mind, her charming ways and her saxophone, to win hearts and minds. She also uses her karate skills to fight for... I almost said, to fight for right. In reality, she fights for her own right.

This is a pleasant enough book with strong fantasy elements. Not least is the fantasy of being so nice that everyone is instantly convinced that you are always right.

Leather Sofa / Leather Interiors

Leather Sofa

category: furniture, sold by:

Leather Interiors

Agamedes' opinion: 5 out of 10

Have you ever noticed just how easy it is to know what has gone wrong -- just after it has all gone wrong?! Here I am, with a brand new sofa, and it is all wrong.

What could go wrong with buying a sofa? you ask.

Before the fact I would have asked exactly the same question. Now I know a lot of the answer.

Apologetic note:

This is a story of my own bad judgment. There is nothing wrong with the construction of the sofa. The leather is excellent, the frame is sound. There is nothing wrong with the design -- it is just that it is all wrong for me.

Yes, the recliner mechanism is very badly designed. It may be faulty, though I doubt it. It is simply a bad design. But the recliner mechanism is straight from a Chinese factory. It may be a bad choice but the local sofa manufacturer has installed it correctly.

Most of the problems below are a result of my own bad judgment: I failed to understand what I required for a comfortable sofa. Feel free to learn from my mistake.