Overbooked Reader

AlphaSmart Dana is a battery-operated keyboard with screen word processor manufactured by NEO Direct, Inc. (formerly Alphasmart, Inc.). It weighs a hefty 2 lbs. and features a full-sized keyboard. When it was first released in 2002, the Dana was a pioneering device in its category. It featured a Palm OS operating system, a a back-lit (can be switched on and off) touchscreen with stylus, 8 megabytes of internal storage (plus 2 SD card slots). It could sync with personal computers and laptops. And it could connect directly to printers. Today, these specs may seem frivolous. The production of the Dana has, in fact, been discontinued by its manufacturers. However, demand for this, and other similar devices, has experienced a revival as budding and professional writers search for new avenues toward writing without distractions. I discovered the AlphaSmart Dana during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Participants from the Philippines were discussing what devices t...

In Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage , protagonist  Tsukuru Tazaki is a young man, traumatized by a great loss. When he was 20, Tsukuru was abruptly—and without reason given him—ejected from his group of five friends, composed of three boys and two girls.  Four members of the group had names that mean colors: ‘red,’ ‘blue,’ ‘white,’ and ‘black.’ But Tsukuru’s name means ‘colorless.’ He is aware of this distinction, and sees himself as someone who contributes no value to the group, and to the world. No wonder his friends abandoned him. Preoccupied with thoughts about dying and death, Tsukuru is depressed for months after his abandonment. But he is made of stern stuff, and manages to pull himself together. He now manages railroad stations, which has been his dream job ever since he was a child. Still, he is unable to find true meaning and happiness in life, as his troubled past continues haunting him. When Tsukuru’s girlfriend gives him an ultimatum—to ta...

Finally, some action! No, correct that. Plenty of action! Before They Are Hanged, book two of The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie is filled with plenty of wars and battles, more than making up for what the first book lacked. I imagine the wait would have been truly worth it, but I already had a copy on hand and was able to continue with the story immediately. I usually don't read book series in succession, but I don't regret making an exception for The First Law trilogy, so far.       Book two begins where book one left off, with the Union preparing for war on two fronts: attacking Bethod and his legions in the north and defending against the Gurkhish Empire and their Eaters in the south. Colonel West is assistant commander of the northern army, while Inquisitor Sand dan Glokta is given the impossible task of defending Dagoska, the Union's only remaining land in the south.  Meanwhile, a party of unlikely companions embark o...

Reading The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie is like playing the first few hours of a role playing video game like the Final Fantasy and Dragon Age series . The novel has a 'gathering your party' feel to it as key characters are introduced. These characters find themselves working together in three separate groups, by the end of the novel. Nobleman Captain Jezal dan Luthar is an excellent fencer training for an upcoming tournament. Inquisitor Sand dan Glokta is a cripple and torturer, a shadow of the fencing champion and decorated soldier he once was. Logen Ninefingers, one of the fiercest barbarians of the north, finds himself defeated and alone he and his friends are ambushed by the humanoid Shanka. These are only three of many characters whose lives will change as the Union faces war on two fronts--from Bethod's army in the north and the Gurkish Empire in the south--and as their fates intertwine for better or for worse. What I liked: Inquis...

Elantris is not your typical Brandon Sanderson novel. It's a short stand-alone work, around the length of Neil Gaiman's Stardust . In fact, it was purposely envisioned it as a stand-alone story, though a sequel may be released in the near future. Sanderson talks more about this on his website page  FAQ: Will There Be a Sequel to Elantris . Elantris proves that Sanderson can write short fiction filled with both action and depth.  My previous attempt at writing a synopsis for this review ended up as four long, tedious paragraphs that barely touched the surface of this complex story.  Elantris was the capital city of Arleon. It was populated by demigods with magical powers. It was considered an honor for ordinary citizens of Arleon to transform into these demigods, until the magic failed, and the people of Elantris devolved into leper-like beings. Now, the citizens of Arleon fear being afflicted with the taint. The novel focuses on the sto...

Many of my close friends know that "Carrie" is my favorite Stephen King novel. I always talk about how that was the book that got me into reading and writing. However, I don't often mention that "The Shining" is my second favorite novel by Stephen King. "The Shining" tells the story of recovering alcoholic Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy, and his son Danny. When Jack finds a job as caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, the whole family drives up to the hotel for the winter. The former caretaker succumbed to cabin fever, and killed his entire family. Obviously, a foreshadowing of things to come, and Jack's family soon finds out why. Everything is fine at first. Jack even finds time to work on his long overlooked play. Then, Danny begins seeing visions. Danny has 'The Shining,' a telepathic ability that allows him to have premonitions, read minds, and perhaps more dangerous things. Unfortunately, his ability inadvertent...

Filipino ReaderCon 2014 is just around the corner so it's time for Filipino Friday. Here is my second entry for today: Here is this week's topic: As a reader, have you ever thought about writing a book? What kind of books/stories do you want to write? Or are you now a published author, and what compelled you to go fulfill this dream? How was your journey from reader to writer? How did you go about getting your book out there? As a reader, have you ever thought about writing a book? YES. I've always wanted to be a published fiction writer. That's the reason why I took up creative writing in college, instead of a more practical course like mass communications or journalism. What kind of books/stories do you want to write? Over the years, beginning with my thesis year in college, I realized that I have an inclination towards writing contemporary romance stories. So I'd like to write fiction (short stories, novellas, and novels)...

Filipino ReaderCon 2014 is just around the corner so it's time for Filipino Friday. I forgot to write a blog post last week, so I'll be posting two entries today. Here is last week's topic: Surprise, Reader! Hello, it’s the first week of Filipino Fridays 2014! Whether it’s your first time to participate or not, tell us a bit about yourself. More specifically, tell us about your favorite book discoveries for this year. Any author you started reading this year that you can’t get enough of? A book you didn’t think you’d like, but you ended up liking/loving? Any book series that you just have to get your hands on? Have you discovered anything new from Filipino authors this year? So, Hi! My name is Verne. I work as a writer and researcher for the Ayala Museum. This year is a big one for me. I recently submitted by MBA thesis, hence the lack of blog posts over the past few months. To celebrate this accomplishment--and finally get some writing done--I'm joining ...

Ever since I first read a novel for fun--it was "Carrie" by Stephen King, back when I was in first year high school--I wanted write my own novel. The desire to be a novelist was what inspired me to take up creative writing in college. But, for practicality's sake, and because lacked confidence, I chose to focus on creative nonfiction instead of fiction. The pivotal moment came when my fiction workshop professor told me to wait until I was 40 years old before attempting to write fiction, even a short story. It's true that I may have lacked the skill back in college. It's true that many of my block mates are more talented writers than me. However, it's also true that I lacked the commitment to focus on honing my writing craft. That, more than having a late start in reading and writing, was what prevented me from writing good fiction. I see National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) as an opportunity to make up for lost time and prove to myself that I ...

Me holding my hardcover copy of 1Q84, which I bought on the day it was released in Fully Booked, Greenhills Promenade.  It's really dirty. I spilled some coffee on it. I will finish reading it soon.  I haven't read the whole 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami , but I've probably read part one of this novel more times than any other novel I've read before. It's not that I didn't enjoy reading part one. In fact, I loved it. It's just one of those stories so heavy and detailed that I have to pause for a while. It just so happens that when I get back to reading it, I feel like starting all over again. 1Q84 is set in a Tokyo during a fictionalized 1984. I assume the parallel between this book and George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four will become more apparent in parts two and three. Part one alternates between the narratives of female assassin/gym instructor Aomame and budding novelist/male cram school mathematics teacher Tengo . Aomame kills with a needl...

I'll be honest here. I bought my copy of The Way of Kings (Part 1 of The Stormlight Archive ) by Brandon Sanderson for two reasons. First, I though he wrote all of the Wheel of Time epic-fantasy series. He wrote co-wrote a few of them, but only after Robert Jordan died in 2007. Second, I really dig its white book cover. I even bought an entire roll of plastic cover just to wrap that one book. I'm trying to catch-up on reading fantasy and science fiction books that, regretfully, I didn't read when I was younger. Thus, my recently reading Orson Scott-Card's Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow , as well as J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring ,  all of which I've reviewed previously. This is also the reason why I bought The Way of Kings (Part 1) in Fully Booked, Alabang Town Center.  Me being silly again, I thought the thick tome was the entire book, but it was only half of it! Luckily, I found Part 2 in Fully Booked, Greenbelt 5. Af...

Sharp Objects is one of the most thrilling and terrifying novels I've ever read.  Gillian Flynn 's debut novel tells the story of the journalist Camille Preaker . She's a cutter, who carves words onto her skin using knives and other sharp objects. She can barely cover the words sliced onto her skin, a permanent reminder of her troubled past. Camille is given an assignment to cover a pair of murders. Two preteen girls have been abducted and strangled in the small town of Wind Gap. All their teeth are missing. Camille must now return home and face her neurotic, hypochondriac mother ( Adora ), her beautiful half-sister ( Amma ), and the memory of her dead sister ( Marian ) She must confront her childhood traumas. As she delves deeper into her investigation, we learn more about her, her family, her friends, and her hometown.  Wind Gap is a town filled with horrifying secrets, but who hides the biggest secret of them all? Will Camille survive her homecoming or wil...

Gone Girl is a page-turner. Reading it, I was taken for a ride--one that I'd rather forget.   It's Nick Dunne and Amy Dunne 's fifth wedding anniversary one summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri. Nick drives home. His front door is open; His wife is gone. He calls the police, and they mount an investigation. From the start, Nick is their primary suspect. Pressure builds. The police, the media, Amy's parents, the American public, all of them searching for answers, and for Amy. Unfortunately, Nick is a liar. He lies, deceives, and plots. He acts inappropriately, like laughing when he's supposed to frown. He seems guilty, but is he? Nick stands by his innocence. His twin sister Margo lends her support. But if Nick didn't do it, who did? Lies, Lies, All Lies! Ben Affleck plays Nick Dunne in the upcoming Gone Girl movie adaptation.  Rosamund Pike (in missing person's poster) plays Amy Dunne. Gone Girl is a gripping read. The story is tol...

Author: Mina V. Esguerra Title: Fairy Tale Fail Place Published: Manila, Philippines Publisher: Summit Books Year Published: 2012 No. of Pages: 142 Price: P175 Place Bought: National Book Store, Greenbelt 1 Have you ever dreamed of living happily-ever-after with the love of your life? What happens when your dreams fall apart? This is the premise of Mina V. Esguerra ’s contemporary romance novella Fairy Tale Fail .  Eleanor Andrea Manuel is a young professional working at a financial services firm in Makati City. Her boyfriend Don Padilla is her office mate. Ellie sees Don as dependable and friendly. He’s a “good guy,” the kind of guy her parents would love. She’s the heroine of her fairy tale love story, and he’s her Prince Charming. Then reality strikes unexpectedly. Don dumps Ellie. He says she lacks passion, ambition, money-sense, and is “a failure at relationships.” He misses the free-spirited Ellie he first met. She is devastated, but resilient. She sees her s...

Author: Orson Scott Card Title: Ender’s Shadow Place Published: New York Publisher: Tor Science Fiction Year Published: 1999 No. of Pages: 467 Price: P360 Place Bought: Fully Booked Greenhills Promenade I read Ender’s Game back in September 2013, in anticipation of the book’s movie adaptation (which was alright, but paled in comparison to the book). I reviewed that Orson Scott Card science-fiction novel and gave it a perfect score.  While I enjoyed the novel immensely, I found that it left too many questions unanswered.  I wanted to know more about what happened behind the scenes in Battle School and the I.F.’s battle against the Formics. Ender Wiggin was mostly clueless on both accounts. That’s when Blooey, a fellow book blogger (and one of my favorites!), recommended that I read Ender’s Shadow as a companion guide to E nder’s Game . She added that the former was told from Bean’s point of view—and that she liked Bean better than Ender. [Click o...

Her (2013) is a 126-minute science-fiction-romance film that follows the success of writer-as-protagonist films like Stranger than Fiction (2006) and Ruby Sparks (2012). Written and directed by Spike Jonze ( Being John Malkovich , Adaptation ), the film takes a sincere and serious look at the nature of human relationships in a world set in the near future.  Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly , a professional letter-writer who falls in love with an intelligent computer operating system called Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson ). For Samantha, the feeling is mutual. Theodore thinks he's found the perfect woman. However, he soon realizes that loving an OS can be as challenging as loving a real person. Supporting characters include Theodore's wife Catherine ( Rooney Mara ), who is asking her husband for a divorce; his friend Amy ( Amy Adams ), whose marriage in on the rocks; and a friend of a friend ( Olivia Wilde ) who goes out on a blind date with Theod...

Philippine contemporary romance author Mina V. Esguerra and her writer friends launched the first Luna East Arts Academy short story collection titled Kids These Days at Ayala Museum last February 8, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. This event, with more than 90 attendees, also doubled as the first year anniversary of Mina's Romance Class. Luna East front cover Kids These Days is a collection of 14 stories written and self-published by 14 Filipino writers. Together, they created the world of Luna East, a fictional high school where young adult and coming-of-age stories abound.  As stated in the book's back cover, all stories are set in an arts academy because the writers wanted everyone to have a talent, and know why. Because no one is ordinary, if you know them well enough. I love it! The writers of Luna East pose for photographs In addition to Mina, the other 13 writers are: Chrissie Peria, Mina V. Esguerra, Ronald S. Lim, Miles Tan, Athena Claire Dueñas, M. Prot...

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien Title: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring  Place Published: New York Publisher: Ballantine Books Year Published: 1965 No. of Pages: 458 Price: $6.99 Place Bought: n/a (Borrowed) If you asked a month ago what I thought of The Fellowship of the Ring , the first volume of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, I would have said it was extremely boring. I’ve tried reading the novel several times, but could never get past the chapters with Tom Bombadil and his poems.   I’ve made reading the LOTR trilogy a book resolution for 2014. After all, it’s widely known as the greatest fantasy epic of our time. So with a little encouragement from a colleague—and with the irrational belief that it would be easier to finish the novel if I read her copy of the book instead of mine—I set out on another journey through Middle-earth. Volume one chronicles the beginning of the War of the Ring. It starts with the hobbit Frodo Baggins coming i...