T. A. Widman

Dull...definitely not worth the time

Revisado: 05-19-21

Oof. I have no idea why this is rated so highly...perhaps nostalgia? The writing is terrible, full of purple prose and cardboard characters. I was hoping for a fun, carefree romp, and honestly had low expectations regarding quality. This was almost painful to finish, often dull and in many ways nonsensical (and not in a good absurdist way). I only managed to finish it because I listened to the audio book. This rips off so many tropes and characters of fantasy and does next to nothing of interest with them.

I understand many would be tempted to overlook the quality of this book given its supposed younger audience. While I do think my younger self might have enjoyed this somewhat, I also would like to think we can credit teens and younger taste better than this. They deserve better fare. But if this enters them into the genre and reading...? ...so be it. Just not for me!

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Frustrating in the extreme

Revisado: 08-26-19

I started this book with the desire and wish to find a new series and author that I could continue listening to across many books. I end relieved for it to be over. In truth there are three reason I managed to finish this book:
1. I kept hoping it would turn a corner and improve.
2. As an audio book it was much easier to continue rather than pick another.
3. There's a quality to it akin to rubbernecking.

This book is absolutely infuriating, as its primary theme is miscommunication, misinformation, and assumption making. It is a common trope to have someone overhear a conversation and hear only the most damaging piece and thereby leap to the worst possible conclusion. In this book, for Koren Bladewell, this is an everyday occurrence and is the main driver of the plot. Because of this need to ensure that Koren believes he is a jinx and persecuted by all others, characters are constantly reacting in the worst possible way to all plot points...even when this completely contradicts elements of their character. This is seen particularly in the characters of the Regent and Lord Salva. The book becomes constant telling, as each character assumes Koren's a jinx, or too young to bear the truth, or a coward, or traitor, or assassin...the list is endless and ever more surreal. These assumptions break the story, as it so often shows that the characters (besides perhaps Koren and Ariana alone) are little more than echo chambers for Koren's persecution complex.

The narrator is generally OK for this book, however there are many cases throughout wherein he pauses awkwardly where it does not make sense...even mid-sentence.

Overall the general story follows your typical stereotypical fantasy fare, with a couple of ideas which were genuinely interesting. There is potential in the story. The writing does not live up to it.

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Thought provoking

Revisado: 08-06-19

I’m unsure what to say about this book. It is thought provoking in a manner I feel is necessary for the faith. But it also feels too thin, with too little substance to truly support the hypothesis. Granted in some ways the proof is in present events...so overall is good simply for the questioning and contemplation it engenders.

The narrator drove me crazy due to her absolute inability to pronounce common names and terms in other languages. I can understand some of this, but, particularly for names of people and places, this is extremely grating.

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New perspective on the Great War and both authors

Revisado: 08-06-18

This book is intriguing both as historical study of both the causes and deep effects of the Great War, particularly on matters of faith, as well as a biographical study of both Lewis and Tolkien's time in the war and their friendship afterwards. The book gives enough information to allow the reader to make their own conclusions and begin to see potential connections, but does not dictate a 'correct' viewing of the links. Rather it presents the information in a clear manner with appropriate passages which demonstrate potential evidence of the War's effect. A book which causes more thought and reason for questions and curiosity in reading than direct answers.

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Will make you love the work described more

Revisado: 08-06-18

Hallelujah is basically a novelized biography of George Friedrich Handel, with primary focus on his composition of the oratorio Messiah. While at times the fictionalized portions a jarring and overly saccharine, they do a very good job of illuminating the underlying themes of the oratorio itself. Also, from a historical standpoint, the author has combined various historical figures, played with timing, and order of events. Again this can pull you out of the story...it did for me...but ultimately the story itself and its primary themes shine through the better for it. It is an entertaining and heart-warming work, and will breath new life into the music for further and deeper contemplation.

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Only for those with no experience with Opera

Revisado: 11-02-16

Professor Greenberg's presentation is extremely annoying and off-putting. He is obviously well versed in the material, but he insists on dumbing it down and making everything a juvenile joke. It's alright for a short span, but severely grating a couple lectures in.

Also, while the course does cover aspects of Mozart's life, yielding interesting facts and anecdotes, its coverage of the operas is subpar, being little more than a reproduced libretto, often in a college level humor vernacular. I was hoping to learn more about the music and the methodology of Mozart in producing his operas and evoking response. There's little of a deeper measure. Granted I only made it through the first portion of the series on Cosi, so maybe it improves...but Greenberg's presentation style was insurmountable.

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