sâmbătă, 25 decembrie 2010

[Earthwise] Digest Number 2498

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1.

BOOK REVIEW - Forest Song:  Letting Go (Novel)

Posted by: "Mike Gleason" gleason.mike@comcast.net   gleasonm01915

Fri Dec 24, 2010 5:25 am (PST)



Forest Song: Letting Go by Vila Spiderhawk © 2010 Vanilla Heart Publishing

ISBN: 978-1935407829 280 pages Paperback $14.95 (U.S.)

www.VanillaHeartBooksAndAuthors.com

This is a continuation of the story begun in Forest Song: Finding Home and continued in Forest Song: Little Mother and you really need to have read those books to be up to speed at the start of this book. It continues the evolution of Judy Bauman, whom we first saw as a gawky pre-teen running away from an over-controlling family, and then followed the beginning of her life as a woman.

In Forest Song: Little Mother, we got to see Judy begin the process of maturing from a dependent young child living with her teacher to creating her own home and finding a lover. She confronts her own shortcomings and learns to stand up for herself.

In this book we see her come into her role as "Mother" of the forest. She is unsure of herself at the start, but at the end she passes along her hard-won knowledge to a new generation.

The background is Europe immediately preceding and during the rise of Nazi Germany. Much of the action revolves around saving members of the Jewish community from their impending destruction. The story teeters on the edge of reality, since it blends a certain amount of Hollywood-style magic (teleportation, fairies, and such) with common sense herbalism, simple rituals, etc.

Ms. Spiderhawk uses her considerable talents to create a world which allows the reader to absorb the wisdom she imparts in the same way the heroine does - by experiencing it in life, not by being "taught" it. As such, it may not immediately appeal to many younger readers, who have grown up with high-speed chases and shoot-outs. This is a kinder, gentler novel, and is well worth the time spent reading it.

This is a more fast-moving story than its predecessors. It deals with topics which are more likely to stir up emotions - the Nazi conquest of large swaths of Europe, their blatant disregard for basic human feelings and amenities, and the feeling of betrayal which those engendered. It carries us beyond that point, however, and shows us the continuation of life which is central to our Pagan way of life.

Judy Bauman's leg of the journey comes to an end in this book (although there are many unanswered questions), but the journey itself continues.

Ms. SpiderHawk knows how to tell a story. It will appeal to a wide range of readers, ranging in age from young adult through senior citizen; from those looking for a fun story to members of the Pagan community looking for a way to pass along some basic knowledge in a painless way.

I cannot recommend this author's work strongly enough.
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2.

BOOK REVIEW - Murder by Another Name (Novel) - OT

Posted by: "Mike Gleason" gleason.mike@comcast.net   gleasonm01915

Fri Dec 24, 2010 5:32 am (PST)



Murder by Another Name By Jo Stone © 2010 Outskirts Press ISBN: 978-1-4327-6562-0 501 pages Paperback $25.95 (U.S.) OutskirtsPress.com

Regular readers of my reviews will know that, occasionally, I review books which have absolutely no connection to the subjects normally discussed in the newsgroups and mailing lists which routinely carry my reviews. I do this for a number of reasons, some of which are purely selfish (I find a book which intrigues me for some reason and request a copy which I then feel obligated to review, or I receive an unsolicited book which piques my interest), and some of which are a bit harder to explain (I hate for people to become complacent and enjoy shaking things up a bit). This is one of those reviews. Murder by Another Name is a mystery novel with no Pagan, or paranormal, elements whatsoever, so if you don't enjoy this type of book, or if you feel you have more important things to be reading, you can skip this review. If, on the other hand, you (like me) like occasionally blowing the cobwebs out of your mind by radically shifting gears, read on.

I noticed a few inconsistencies in this book beside the occasional spelling errors and dropped words (which is just further indication that the roles of proofreaders and editors need to the subject of a revival) - one character went from Ann to Nancy and back to Ann within the space of a couple of pages. However, that is mere nit-picking on my part.

Ms. Stone is an attorney who has been involved in litigation concerning silicone breast implants, so she brings a unique perspective to this story. On top of that, she is a more than adequate storyteller. Her knowledge of courtroom procedures shows though, and her perception of the need for pacing helps to move things along at a reasonable and believable rate of speed.

This is not a feel-good story; the good guys may win in the end, but it is not a clean victory; and the "villains" may lose, but there is little to celebrate at the end. It is, nonetheless an excellently told story, and one which is thoroughly believable.

If you are looking for "...something completely different" this is a book you will enjoy. I am willing to bet that it is probably a "one off" (i.e., not likely to become a series), but even though I really like series, I have no hesitation recommending this book to one and all.

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