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<a href="http://fuzzysparrow.tumblr.com/post/101435382283/review">October 2014 Book of the Month</a>
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
It has been over twenty years since Lois Lowry’s controversial children’s story <i>The Giver</i> was published and it certainly deserves its status as an essential modern classic. Jonas has grown up in the perfect world of the Community whose survival relies on strict rules and rituals. Adults are assigned spouses and children (one boy and one girl) as they take up their role within the society. At the beginning of the book Jonas is approaching then end of his eleventh year and feeling apprehensive about the Ceremony of Twelve where he will be assigned a job for him to do for the rest of his adult life. Jonas gets selected as the Receiver of Memory – a very rare position – and begins to experience memories from humans who lived a long time ago. For Jonas this is exciting until he begins to see the flaws in his perfect world.
Dystopian literature has become popular over the past few years and it would not be surprising if it were <i>The Giver</i> that inspired these contemporary works. Lowry claims that she did not intend for The Giver to have a sinister feel about it; she was writing an adventure story and exploring the concept of the importance of memory, but it turned out to be something much more thought provoking. As the children’s novelist Margaret Mahy (<i>The Haunting</i>) pointed out, up until the publication of this novel in 1993 Lowry was best known for her funny stories about Anastasia Krupnik resulting in <i>The Giver</i> being even more shocking and unexpected.
<i>The Giver</i> highlights that attempting to produce perfection can often result in the loss of good things as well as the bad. The notion of the ideal world may seem like a wonderful proposal, but in order to achieve it humans would have to do away with free choice as in ironing out the inequalities and injustices of the present world would result in everything becoming the same for each individual.
This is a difficult concept to grasp, particularly for a child. Although intended as a children’s series, <i>The Giver</i> and its following installments are more suitable for young adults and older. The only issue with this is that the writing style was target at a younger audience meaning that the overall story is short and lacks depth. If it were to have been written for older readers then there would have been the scope for it to become a much lengthier novel.
There are a lot of mixed reviews surrounding this book although they have changed greatly since the original publication. To begin with <i>The Giver</i> was banned in some areas however the dystopian theme has become accepted in today’s society. What many people comment on now is the oversimplification of such strong ideas. Then again, as already mentioned, it needs to be emphasized that this book was aimed at children, thus the language reflects the reading skills of its target audience.
<i>The Giver</i> is a gem of a book that not only is enjoyable but also can educate the reader on the dangers of attempting a utopian society and why it is important to retain human memories – even the bad – in order that wisdom can exist. Those who have become fans of contemporary dystopian novels, for example <i>Divergent</i> by Veronica Roth or <i>Delirium</i> by Lauren Oliver, will be sure to love this series.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
It has been over twenty years since Lois Lowry’s controversial children’s story <i>The Giver</i> was published and it certainly deserves its status as an essential modern classic. Jonas has grown up in the perfect world of the Community whose survival relies on strict rules and rituals. Adults are assigned spouses and children (one boy and one girl) as they take up their role within the society. At the beginning of the book Jonas is approaching then end of his eleventh year and feeling apprehensive about the Ceremony of Twelve where he will be assigned a job for him to do for the rest of his adult life. Jonas gets selected as the Receiver of Memory – a very rare position – and begins to experience memories from humans who lived a long time ago. For Jonas this is exciting until he begins to see the flaws in his perfect world.
Dystopian literature has become popular over the past few years and it would not be surprising if it were <i>The Giver</i> that inspired these contemporary works. Lowry claims that she did not intend for The Giver to have a sinister feel about it; she was writing an adventure story and exploring the concept of the importance of memory, but it turned out to be something much more thought provoking. As the children’s novelist Margaret Mahy (<i>The Haunting</i>) pointed out, up until the publication of this novel in 1993 Lowry was best known for her funny stories about Anastasia Krupnik resulting in <i>The Giver</i> being even more shocking and unexpected.
<i>The Giver</i> highlights that attempting to produce perfection can often result in the loss of good things as well as the bad. The notion of the ideal world may seem like a wonderful proposal, but in order to achieve it humans would have to do away with free choice as in ironing out the inequalities and injustices of the present world would result in everything becoming the same for each individual.
This is a difficult concept to grasp, particularly for a child. Although intended as a children’s series, <i>The Giver</i> and its following installments are more suitable for young adults and older. The only issue with this is that the writing style was target at a younger audience meaning that the overall story is short and lacks depth. If it were to have been written for older readers then there would have been the scope for it to become a much lengthier novel.
There are a lot of mixed reviews surrounding this book although they have changed greatly since the original publication. To begin with <i>The Giver</i> was banned in some areas however the dystopian theme has become accepted in today’s society. What many people comment on now is the oversimplification of such strong ideas. Then again, as already mentioned, it needs to be emphasized that this book was aimed at children, thus the language reflects the reading skills of its target audience.
<i>The Giver</i> is a gem of a book that not only is enjoyable but also can educate the reader on the dangers of attempting a utopian society and why it is important to retain human memories – even the bad – in order that wisdom can exist. Those who have become fans of contemporary dystopian novels, for example <i>Divergent</i> by Veronica Roth or <i>Delirium</i> by Lauren Oliver, will be sure to love this series.
Solar Alert: Protect your Life
Weather and Education
App
Solar Alert is the complete alert system whose purpose is to protect your life and warn you of the...
Yvonne (12 KP) rated A Secret Muse in Books
Jun 9, 2019
Coco Rhodes was happy with her life, an artist and teacher, she enjoyed her freedom. Her brother Chris was a member of a secret society The Allegiance, and whilst her family and friends were members, she wanted nothing to do with them. However, when her life was put in danger, she had no choice but to accept their protection. But could that be enough to save her from Kenan, one of the evilest vampires they have come across
I liked Coco, she was happy to be herself, she was a free spirit, lost in her art and content with her own company. Even though her best friend and her brother were part of The Allegiance, she wanted nothing to do it, which showed how headstrong she was. Even after her accident, she was still stubborn and was literally forced into having additional protection.
I enjoyed how the supernatural overlapped with the real world, regular humans were not aware that supernatural beings lived and worked with them. Only a few people knew about the Allegiance and this kept everyone safe. Due to the society being large, they're quite a few characters in the story, but each one is relevant to the story and when we are introduced to them, parts of their backstory is revealed. As the story continues you soon come to realise how their lives interweave with each other and how they are connected in the future. There are various supernatural beings in this story, witches, vampires, to name but a few. All have an important role in the story.
This story was well researched and as some of the characters are vampires, the story spans over a long time period. Whilst I do not know anything about art, I enjoyed reading about the supernatural involvement used to create some of the most famous paintings. The scenic views of Italy and the places visited were described in fine detail and whether it is the 15th century or the modern day you feel like you are transported there. The pace would quicken with the action, making it more intense. The fight scenes were full on, but the characters would change from fighters to lovers in a few scenes, slowing the pace making it an enjoyable read.
This is a book for adults and whether you are looking for those tall dark and brooding men or just a good fantasy read to start a new series than this is the story for you
I liked Coco, she was happy to be herself, she was a free spirit, lost in her art and content with her own company. Even though her best friend and her brother were part of The Allegiance, she wanted nothing to do it, which showed how headstrong she was. Even after her accident, she was still stubborn and was literally forced into having additional protection.
I enjoyed how the supernatural overlapped with the real world, regular humans were not aware that supernatural beings lived and worked with them. Only a few people knew about the Allegiance and this kept everyone safe. Due to the society being large, they're quite a few characters in the story, but each one is relevant to the story and when we are introduced to them, parts of their backstory is revealed. As the story continues you soon come to realise how their lives interweave with each other and how they are connected in the future. There are various supernatural beings in this story, witches, vampires, to name but a few. All have an important role in the story.
This story was well researched and as some of the characters are vampires, the story spans over a long time period. Whilst I do not know anything about art, I enjoyed reading about the supernatural involvement used to create some of the most famous paintings. The scenic views of Italy and the places visited were described in fine detail and whether it is the 15th century or the modern day you feel like you are transported there. The pace would quicken with the action, making it more intense. The fight scenes were full on, but the characters would change from fighters to lovers in a few scenes, slowing the pace making it an enjoyable read.
This is a book for adults and whether you are looking for those tall dark and brooding men or just a good fantasy read to start a new series than this is the story for you
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Remember Me in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Cyberpunk is a phrase that has been tossed around often to describe a futuristic theme where technology becomes a necessity for survival along the lines of food, shelter, and water. Games ranging from Deus EX and System Shock as well as movies such as “Blade Runner” and “Total Recall” have depicted a future where humanity and technological integrations have overlapped into all elements of life and society including the replacement of biological appendages and functions.
In the new game Remember Me, players are set in Paris in 2084 where technology has allowed the population to upload their memories to the net. Not only can people share memories, but unpleasant memories can be removed as well.
The company behind this technology, Memorize is using the memories to control the population through never ending surveillance of a person’s memories. There are also individuals who have absorbed too many memories and have become mutated as a result.
The result of this is the rise of a resistance movement named Errorists who strive to bring down Memorize.
Players play as a female character named Nilin who escapes from Memorize detention before the last of her memories can be wiped away. Blessed with a gift to steal and remix memories, Nilin becomes part of a plan to capture the head of Memorize in an effort to alter his memories and save society.
Being able to replay and modify memories is a big part of the game as well as combat which can be upgraded from a Combo Lab to upgrade various fighting moves and styles.
With thousands of possible combos, being able to customize a style that works best for you is one of the great aspects of the game.
The platforming and combat in the game may become a bit repetitive for some and others may find it a bit frustrating. There are at times issues with save games as death can remove progress earned between save points.
The game has solid graphics and is to be praised for taking a new narrative to the genre and the introduction of memory manipulations was a nice touch. I also loved the characters in the game that despite some uneven writing and storylines stood out. In the end, Remember Me is a fun game and a great concept but falls short of being a classic due to several issues mentioned previously as well as camera and control issues.
http://sknr.net/2013/06/11/remember-me/
In the new game Remember Me, players are set in Paris in 2084 where technology has allowed the population to upload their memories to the net. Not only can people share memories, but unpleasant memories can be removed as well.
The company behind this technology, Memorize is using the memories to control the population through never ending surveillance of a person’s memories. There are also individuals who have absorbed too many memories and have become mutated as a result.
The result of this is the rise of a resistance movement named Errorists who strive to bring down Memorize.
Players play as a female character named Nilin who escapes from Memorize detention before the last of her memories can be wiped away. Blessed with a gift to steal and remix memories, Nilin becomes part of a plan to capture the head of Memorize in an effort to alter his memories and save society.
Being able to replay and modify memories is a big part of the game as well as combat which can be upgraded from a Combo Lab to upgrade various fighting moves and styles.
With thousands of possible combos, being able to customize a style that works best for you is one of the great aspects of the game.
The platforming and combat in the game may become a bit repetitive for some and others may find it a bit frustrating. There are at times issues with save games as death can remove progress earned between save points.
The game has solid graphics and is to be praised for taking a new narrative to the genre and the introduction of memory manipulations was a nice touch. I also loved the characters in the game that despite some uneven writing and storylines stood out. In the end, Remember Me is a fun game and a great concept but falls short of being a classic due to several issues mentioned previously as well as camera and control issues.
http://sknr.net/2013/06/11/remember-me/
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Genesis: Vision of the New World (Terra Nova #2) in Books
Nov 13, 2019
Following on from the events in Universe: Awakening, the first book in the series (which you need to read before this one), this picks up events on Arkos after some time has passed. Minister Odessa is still concerned about the findings of the DEUS probes, and when there is an astronomical anomaly and a disaster on the planet itself she realises that she needs her most trusted allies to determine the threat that is posed. Meanwhile there is a change at the head of the lower-status Gendu, both in terms of politics and religion, which aren't universally popular. Society may be under threat from within and without.
This is a long book, but like the first one it covers a lot of ground. There is a far more investigation of the Gendu, their politics and their religion. The succession of Darius as head of the Gendu, and the rise of a greedy and flawed priest in the religious sect provide the backbone of the story. The Celesti are frustrated by only being allowed to observe and not interfere, but are focused on exploring the anomaly. Odessa also starts a related project to enhance some of the indigenous apes.
This is not a book that can be read in isolation. As the middle of a trilogy it answers few questions from the first book and raises many that are due to be resolved in the final installment. It is clear that everything is converging, momentum carrying people and events along as much they are exerting their own control. The author has constructed a world where the plot is driven from a number of different directions and this ensures that each chapter has something to add.
The writing is very confident. Overttun has really found his voice as an author and uses it to show the reader all of his creation. From the clinical efficiency of Odessa's experiments to the dirt and grime of the seedier areas of Gendu society, the narrative weaves its way inexorably onwards. The prose is lean and efficient, lending impetus to the story. The exploits of the already known characters will entertain as they are old friends, the new characters are all interesting and nuanced.
This is building to be a fabulous epic trilogy, epic in depth, breadth and scale. It isn't science fiction, it isn't a political thriller, it isn't a philosophical treatise. It is all these and more. I really cannot wait to see what happens next. Stunning.
This is a long book, but like the first one it covers a lot of ground. There is a far more investigation of the Gendu, their politics and their religion. The succession of Darius as head of the Gendu, and the rise of a greedy and flawed priest in the religious sect provide the backbone of the story. The Celesti are frustrated by only being allowed to observe and not interfere, but are focused on exploring the anomaly. Odessa also starts a related project to enhance some of the indigenous apes.
This is not a book that can be read in isolation. As the middle of a trilogy it answers few questions from the first book and raises many that are due to be resolved in the final installment. It is clear that everything is converging, momentum carrying people and events along as much they are exerting their own control. The author has constructed a world where the plot is driven from a number of different directions and this ensures that each chapter has something to add.
The writing is very confident. Overttun has really found his voice as an author and uses it to show the reader all of his creation. From the clinical efficiency of Odessa's experiments to the dirt and grime of the seedier areas of Gendu society, the narrative weaves its way inexorably onwards. The prose is lean and efficient, lending impetus to the story. The exploits of the already known characters will entertain as they are old friends, the new characters are all interesting and nuanced.
This is building to be a fabulous epic trilogy, epic in depth, breadth and scale. It isn't science fiction, it isn't a political thriller, it isn't a philosophical treatise. It is all these and more. I really cannot wait to see what happens next. Stunning.
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