Complex, Atlantis | TAC Ch 7-9 | Artemis Fowl Read Along

Welcome back to the hottest Fowl party on the Internet! Thanks for joining me again. My apologies for last week -between unexpected family visits and a comic convention, things got pretty crazy up in here, but I'm glad you're back!

Today I have a special bonus prize for all my Read Along readers (or anyone else who finds this post). I've designed a board game with a very, very specific niche audience in mind -you and me!
Check out Production Hell: A Game for Long-Suffering Artemis Fowl Fans. This is a free downloadable PDF, just a silly idea I knew I had to do. The game is a fun way to relive the highs and lows that have been the last 18 years of the Artemis Fowl's films adventure in and out of Production Hell.

Chapter 7: How Do I Love Thee?

Throwback time!

Assuming Orion is everything Artemis is not (and vice versa, as we see when Orion later uses the Butler training Artemis is so content to ignore) we can extrapolate from Orion's spouting of 'women need only exude beauty and serve no other function' that Arty conversely believes the opposite, which rather proves he's got a helluva lot of respect for women and I love that. Admittedly, Arty is surrounded by some pretty awesomely strong women, between his mother, Holly, and Juliet. I'd be disappointed if Arty didn't respect and -when advisable- fear those amazing females.

One question: What exactly has Artemis been reading to fill Orion's head such 'princess', 'good beast,' 'secret birthmark' nonsense? We know from The Time Paradox that Arty's no stranger to Tolkien's works but -thankfully- they can't be blamed for such silliness.

Orion calls Artemis mean and nasty and wonders why Holly would want him back. If Orion is everything Artemis is not, but is still of Artemis' mind and Atlantis Complex is bred of guilt, is this Artemis' own perspective of himself, deep down, and something he wonders for himself?

Here I was thinking Turnball Root had a soft side, because look how much he loves Leonor -but nope, magically manipulating emotions is not love.

"Amazing what a person will do to avoid guilt..."
Here Colfer drew us a lovely comparison between brainwashed Vishby -who Turnball marvels at being able to live two lives existing side by side- and Artemis who's doing the same by of Orion.
THE RETURN OF THE JUXTAPOSITIONS!!!

Turnball obviously did not like Julius. There's really no secret made about that. Julius was his annoying, goody-two-shoes little brother who put him in prison. But his thoughts on Opal Koboi are also pretty clear. If anyone should be worrying about Koboi, the text tells us, it ought to be Turnball, because Koboi killed his little brother.

This more than anything in the book -even Leonor and their forbidden love, which I'll talk about later- is what makes Turnball the most interesting and complicated, I think, and it's a pity that we weren't able to explore this side of the story a little more.

Is Turnball merely annoyed at Koboi because he wanted to kill Julius? Is it a deeply ingrained honor thing, like the princes in Stardust, who needed to avenge their brother's murder by an outside force even though their way to become king was literally to kill each other and be the last left standing? Or was Julius, despite being the annoying little brother who put him in prison, still his brother, and no one messes with Turnball's family but him?

Chapter 8: Randomosity

"...sometimes people are not who they think they are," Angeline tells Artemis. Though this is a dig about his mesmerizing her after The Lost Colony, I like the unspoken side of this too.

Angeline has just tricked Artemis into promising to wear jeans and a T-shirt, which fills him with horror, when she uses this dig on him. We know from The Time Paradox that Artemis first began wearing bespoke suits to look professional taking over the family business after his father vanished. He was no longer a boy, no longer a child; he was the man of the house but, more importantly, the head of the business, and he dressed the part. Now that his father is back, their family nearly twice as big, and the criminal empire no more, Artemis might think he knows who he is, but Angeline is determined to make him a teenager and gain some of what he's lost.

Wait, Artemis has a hamster?
Granted, I should maybe be focusing on the fact the Beckett was caught chewing on the hamster's leg, or maybe that for three-year-olds, Myles and Beckett are both frighteningly smart and devious, but I seriously can't get away from this idea that Artemis has a pet and it's a hamster.

However, hearing Butler recount the exploits and hijinks of the twins definitely has me excited for the new book!

Chapter 9: Forbidden Love

Even seeing Leonor loved Turnball before he enthralled her with his magic doesn't make me any more empathetic toward him. Sorry, dude.

Let's just stop and fully appreciate that Artemis considers 'wow' a slang term. Just saying.

Mulch is about as sympathetic to Arty's mental disorder as one would expect.

Leonor's a pretty awesome woman, guys. An aviatrix of Earhart's caliber, a moral woman according to Turnball, certainly not stupid considering how fast she puts things together when the rune wears off; she's daring, brave, and confident. The worst thing she seems to have done is fallen in love with her dashing fairy savior, but let's focus on her last moments. She is far older than she has any right to be and frail; the Turnball has kept her under and submissive through has finally worn off and, if she doesn't recognize the full extent of that magic, she's close. She knows now why she never flew again, sees what Turnball did to her, and is now recognizing her husband for the villain he truly is, and she doesn't lose her cool. She doesn't weep over all her lost time or rage or even torn on Turnball. Instead, she kisses him goodbye and flies one last time, to save an entire hospital full of innocents, and toward a fiery death and a watery grave.

To Turnball's credit, he decides to dies with her. It's very little credit because, while it proves he loved her truly, it is still a selfish love. He certainly didn't do it to save the hospital nor did he come to regret any of his misdeeds. But no all villains get redemption stories, even if they do have true love's kiss.

Orion finally gets his moment to shine and, surprisingly, there's not a bivouac in sight.

"It's not that easy," Holly tells Artemis about letting his past and guilt go, "but you can do it with our help..."
Holly has been saying this since The Opal Deception, when she told Artemis he should let his family and friends start helping him. While he certainly delved into more moral practices after that, it can't truly be said he relied too much on his family and friends. And look what happened to you, Arty!

Even with its flaws, I do appreciate The Atlantis Complex especially for giving Artemis this latest (possibly last?) big push into true Hero territory. But I guess we'll find out soon.

Now, what does The Last Guardian have in store for us?

May's reading schedule for The Last Guardian:
May 2: Chapters 1-4
May 9: Chapters 5-9
May 16: Chapters 10-13
May 30: Chapters 14-19

And that, my friends, will be the end of the Artemis Fowl Read Along.

Don't forget to check out Production Hell: A Game for Long-Suffering Artemis Fowl Fans. It's my pride and joy, a free download and, dare I say, ridiculously fun.

Dear Anakin: A Star Wars Love Letter

***This post contains some spoilers for Star Wars: The Clone Wars***

Dear Anakin,

We've known each other for a long time, but I can't say I was ever truly...fond of you.

We were so young when we met, that summer of '99 but, let's face it, I only had eyes for Qui Gon Jinn. (He was way cool.) A young pod-racer might have become an idolized hero to me at that age, but now that Star Wars and I had been formally introduced, I skipped straight to the next generation. You drifted out of sight while I fell pretty hard for Luke Skywalker, spending my days in a fake Jedi robe, pretending to use the Force.

As the time drew near for our second meeting, I might have been more curious about your youth, but you were no longer a slightly-naive, adorable child mechanical-genius; you were a moody teenager. And oh, those teenage years were the worst. You were a whiny, cranky, arrogant brat and I couldn't stand you, Anakin.

And our third meeting? I honestly couldn't see how anyone could be devoted to you because your horrible teenage attitude only grew more angry and self-absorbed.

We remained for years in this frustrating rut, when I knew that I should have more respect for you then I ever could, when I had more respect for the vilified Darth Vader persona than I ever did of you, when I knew that you, Anakin, corrupted for me what should have been a profound arc for Darth Vader. In fact, I despised you so much in your younger years, that I actually came to think of your final moments as Darth Vader's redemption arc -not yours.

That's how it's always been for me, like a line divided in the sand. 'Darth Vader' vs 'Anakin'. The two have never truly morphed into one person in my mind. They are two wholly separate individuals. One of them is an epic, heartless, hardcore, take-no-prisoners, terrifying villain -who turns out to have heart. And the other, this ridiculous crybaby who's supposed to have been a renowned war hero. I couldn't take you seriously, much less mourn your downfall.

So while I had eternal respect for Darth Vader, you, Anakin, just weren't the same guy. And there we were; you, trying to be the sympathetic fallen hero and me, trying my hardest to forget you ever existed. We might have been stuck here, indefinitely at odds, as the character who might have been and the girl who could have loved you.

And then came The Clone Wars.

The show showed us the good in you. Despite its starting clunky animation, some juvenile slants, and even some downright terrible episodes, Star Wars: The Clone Wars gave us the Anakin Skywalker we all needed. That I needed.

Through The Clone Wars, I witnessed your iron will and epic heroism. I witnessed, rather than heard, that you were the best star pilot in the galaxy and a cunning warrior, rather than a straight-up reckless hothead who can't listen to common sense. Most of all, it showed me that you were a good friend to Obi-Wan. Rather than a belligerent teenager being told what to do or a jealous man overshadowed by Obi-Wan's strengths, The Clone Wars showed me an Anakin who respects and loves his master -as a friend, a brother, and even a father-figure. You disagreed on many things and you caused Obi-Wan a lot of aggravation, but in the end you usually found a way to reconcile.

I saw, too, your firm and clear stance on justice -and your complete intolerance of injustice. This made you a stronger hero in my eyes, but a tortured one, because you always had difficulty aligning yourself with decisions of the Jedi Council you deemed unfair and unjust, which adds layer and depth to your personality completely unseen before. It is at once a strength -because it made you a hero of heroes- and a weakness -because Palpatine recognized your blindness when it came to such injustices and he used them against you. He used the good in you to corrupt you. And rather than despise you for it, I love you for it.

The Clone Wars showed me your dark side, too (pun intended), but it showed me how so much of that dark side was born of the fundamental differences between lofty Jedi ideals and your own brutal experiences with injustice. While the Jedi became generals out of necessity, in order to maintain peace, you were a warrior and fighter. You always have been. You have always stood against oppression and tyranny, because you lived through it, and The Clone Wars gave me so many instances where these differences between you and the Jedi stood out, for good and for ill. When you were faced with worlds oppressed by Separatists or citizens pressed into slavery, your stance was always firmly in favor of freeing them, no matter the red tape or the consequences for the Republic. And how can I blame you for that? How can any of us? More often then not, when the Jedi would decide to bow out of such heroics for the 'greater good', you weren't the only one burning with anger and contempt, Anakin.

I saw your insanely jealous side, when you let your emotions stray too far, whenever your loved ones were threatened or, because I'm also recognizing your flaws here, whenever your relationship with a loved one was threatened. Like those times Padme's ex-boyfriend came on the scene. I saw, too, your rock solid devotion, not only to Padme, but to Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, the clones under your command, and even Palpatine (though I think everyone in the galaxy but you saw that it was a bad idea).

Maybe I didn't get to see you as a father, Anakin, but you were close enough to that as a Jedi Master to Ahsoka. Like the best of relationships, you pushed, taught, and tested each other, as iron sharpens iron. From you, Ahsoka learned to trust her instincts, to never give up, and to always fight, even when it's hopeless. And from her, you learned patience and trust. You learned, too, that the universe isn't always so black and white as you like to think.

Anakin, when you wanted to throw everyone you knew and cared about under the bus to save Padme from a vision of death in Revenge of the Sith, I wanted to throttle you until you saw sense. But in The Clone Wars, when Ahsoka is kidnapped and missing, and the Jedi tell you it is the way of the Force and you must let her go, you vehemently refused. You were determined to have faith in Ahsoka, no matter what, even if it broke you. I loved you then, too. And even though I still have trouble with your single-minded and bull-headed angst in Revenge of the Sith, this moment that you almost lose Ahsoka -someone you love and vowed to protect- offers more substance to an otherwise rather poorly written catalyst.

In the end, you do lose Ahsoka, and in a way far worse than a death in battle, because the Jedi who you have devoted your life to, who you have spent all of your energy and power defending, turn their back on your padawan and force you to abandon her. And for what? Not justice. For politics. For 'the greater good.' Anakin, you couldn't abandon her for long -which, again, I love you for- but there was a time, however short, that you did. And while the show was unfortunately cancelled before I was able to witness any of the repercussions you suffered for this, I know you would have blamed yourself. I know, too, you would have blamed the Jedi Council even more. This moment, this loss, and this betrayal -all for the 'greater good'- I think is one of the greatest and most significant steps into your downfall. It foreshadows all of your fears and suspicions in Revenge of the Sith, when you are faced with the possibility of losing Padme, when you are forced to decide whether to abandon her to her fate for the 'greater good', or to step up and do whatever you can to save her. And that is powerful.

My one disappointment with The Clone Wars was not being able to see your true Fall come about in this show. But even left with the rather lukewarm Revenge of the Sith, all of your trials, developments, and growth provide greater depth and understanding to your Fall. You come so close to crossing over in so many different situations throughout the run of The Clone Wars, and always in a misguided attempt to save people.

With this background, now I know that when you turned to the Dark Side, it was a much more complicated desire than Power or Strength. It was more complicated than one moment, one trial, one base fear, as seen in the prequels, because The Clone Wars showed us so many more moments when you were tempted by the power of the Dark Side. Some moments you won. Some moments you lost. And each of those moments stayed with you, rooting you deeper and deeper in your goal to save the galaxy, no matter what.

In short, Anakin, The Clone Wars took me far beyond the floundering kid and the broody, infuriating teenager and showed me a you that I could like. More than like. Love.

You're not arrogant. You're cocky. But you're cocky because you have skill and confidence and you're blatantly cocky in the face of the enemy, when the odds are insurmountable. It's endearing. It's also one of your greatest traits.

You're funny. You're sarcastic. You have absolutely no patience for red tape or sensitive politics.

You're loyal. You're courageous and you care about your soldiers. You care about individuals, not just planets and sectors and the pawns in a grand scheme for the 'greater good'.

Anakin, you may very well have been the greatest hero in the whole of the Star Wars universe -and if not for The Clone Wars, I never would have believed it. I see Darth Vader in you, and I see you in Darth Vader. Now, finally, your rise, fall, and redemption has lived up to some of its beautiful and heartbreaking potential.

Now, finally, I can actually mourn your Fall.

Forever yours,
Amanda, Fan Girl

BOOK REVIEW: Dearest by Alethea Kontis (Woodcutter Sisters, bk 3)

 


Dearest

by Alethea Kontis

YA/Fantasy/Fairy Tales

4 stars

(ARC review; 'Dearest' will be available on Feb. 3)

 
Due to some technical difficulties, this post comes a day late. Apologies for that, but better late than never, right?





First of all, I'd like to thank Alethea not only for the ARC of 'Dearest', but for signing so beautifully the books I bought, for sending enough swag to go around, the much-appreciated Princess Bride references, and for being all around awesome. ^_^

The latest installment of the Woodcutter Sister series deals with Friday, the sweetest, kindest, and gentlest of the Woodcutter clan. While I have nothing against Friday, she was never my favorite of the sisters. Compared to pirate queen Thursday, Wednesday in her black gowns with her poetry and prophecies, sword-hacking Saturday, and Sunday and her magic words, Friday with the big heart and the magic needle seemed a little dull.

I was wrong.
 
Friday was the perfect sister for this story because it played right into her wheelhouse -the need for an open heart and mad sewing skills. She discovers that the seven swans in the palace pond are only swans by day. By night, they are transformed into their true form of seven cursed brothers and she is determined to do everything she can to help them.
 
Much like Friday herself, I learned how a big heart can become a powerful strength, for yourself and everyone around you. 'Dearest' explored a lot more of Friday's character and she may have just become my favorite of the sisters. She isn't a warrior or a hero; she doesn't have any loftier ambitions than becoming a master seamstress and a nun in the abbey of the earth goddess. She loves to help and serve people, and I love that this was used as a character strength. I found her a perfectly wonderful character because she's sweet and kind, but never simperingly so. Sometimes the goody-two-shoes characters can be grating in stories, but Friday is an easily relatable character with very real emotional struggles.
 
Like the other books in the series, 'Dearest' is a love story, and it's split into the perspectives of the hero and the heroine. Something I have always appreciated about this series is that their personalities are never too romanticized. They each have flaws, which they usually overcome on their own, they clash at times, and they always ALWAYS have their own struggles and story lines outside of the romance plot. It deepens the whole experience for me when there's more than just a love story going on. Throw in a bloodthirsty warmonger or political conspiracy to go along with it -that's my kind of story.

Something I didn't mention in my video review was how much I liked Conrad. This new character's role surprised and intrigued me. I can't wait to see where he leads the story in the future. Could we be headed to an Agrabah-like country soon? Will we have jinn or some Aladdin references? A girl can hope. ;)

There was only one thing about this book that I was kind of disappointed about. 'Hero' ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, but 'Dearest' does not advance in the time line. This book takes us back to Arilland and shows us what happened there parallel to 'Hero' instead of taking us on to what happened next. 'Dearest' is a great book and, even though I didn't see what happened next, it still advanced deeper into the larger unfolding story, by bringing a couple more connections into play. But now I have another long wait to find out what happens!
 
One thing I adore about the Woodcutter Sister series are all of the tongue-in-cheek references to the fairy tales of yore. Unlike a true 'retelling' of these tales -like Ella Enchanted or Princess of the Midnight Ball- where the story is the tale, albeit with a new twist, Alethea's use of the classics feels almost incidental. Yes, you could say that Dearest is a retelling of The Six Swans and you could say that Enchanted was a retelling of The Frog Prince, but that would not be doing justice to these books as they are so much more than that. The Woodcutter series inhabits a complex world of Fey and magic, gods and prophecies. Fate and Destiny. And if some of the events that occur happen to tickle a memory, well, that's just coincidence. Alethea's nods to the classics know no bounds, but they are sewn into the fabric of the Woodcutter's reality so gracefully and seamlessly, that it never once distracts the reader, but becomes more of a private joke between us and the author. (Case in point, the orphans that Friday takes to looking after being referred to as 'her Darlings'.)
 
In 'Dearest', we get a new flavor of the world than we have in previous books, specifically with the kind of deities and religious practices that exist. This combination of gods and Fey is particularly interesting to me. In my experience, these have always seemed like opposing ideas in the fantasy genre. You either have gods and religion or fairies and magic, but Alethea has blended them together with a realistic flourish. Fey inhabit another realm, where magic abounds, and they sometimes intermarry with humans and their offspring can be born with magic. It also seems that the ability to use magic can be a blessing bestowed upon favored humans by their patron gods and, like the Greek pantheon, there are plenty to choose from. There is not so much in this book about the gods and religious practices as to make it dull or even too different from the previous novels, but just enough to explain some occurrences in the story and to clue you in that this is a seriously complex and detailed world spread out before us, and we still have a lot to learn about it. I, for one, can't wait to learn more.
 
Four stars to Dearest by Alethea Kontis and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy, especially fairy tale retellings.

In fact, I am so convinced that you will like this series, I'm doing a giveaway for the first book, Enchanted. I do apologize that this will only be open to United States residents, but if you'd like to enter, just subscribe to my YouTube channel and leave a comment the YouTube page of the video at the top of this post.

Good luck!