Robin Hood (J.C. Holt)

It's not often that I (knowingly) review the same thing twice, but today's book was first covered two years ago (review here).  This time, it's a newer edition, and I have a newer perspective, being now more well-read on the subject.  I thus wanted to revisit this.

In Robin Hood, professor J.C. Holt tries to separate history from legend and determine who the original Robin may have been.  He looks at the five original ballads, historical persons of interest who may have been Robin (or contributed to his legend), relevant locations and their influence, the various audiences who have listened to the tales (and perhaps inspired elements through popular demand), and later elements that morphed the tales into its present form.  Check the original review for more details.

Holt's main update in this edition nails down that Robin Hood tales existed (and were widely known) no later than 1260.  This eliminates the possibility that he originated in 1320 (as some tales and historians have suggested)- the legend was in place decades before.  While it's still all but impossible to nail down anything else- who he may have been, where he may have roamed, what causes (if any) he championed- at least we know something.

I appreciated this work more the second time (and edition) through.  Holt knows his stuff and has a pretty good delivery (though some comments could be more clear).  This book, combined with Stephen Knight's treatment (review here) are good resources for fans of Robin.  A summary of the "who/when/where/what" possibilities for him can be viewed on my post here, and see here for a list of Robin Hood reading suggestions.

Rating: A-

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Continuing the countdown to the new Star Wars movie, today we look at Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

Released in 2002, Attack of the Clones picks up 10 years after Episode I.  Anakin Skywalker is now a teenager, and a padawan under Obi-Wan Kenobi's tutelage.  His crush from childhood- Padme Amidala- is now Senator from Naboo, and is fighting against the military creation act, demanded by some to counter the threat of systems seceding from the Republic and joining a growing menace- the Separatists- led by former Jedi Count Dooku.  When the Senator survives an assassination attempt, Obi-Wan tracks the would-be-killer's weapon to Kamino- and makes an astonishing discovery.  Like it or not, the Republic is getting its army . . . and the galaxy will soon be plunged into war.

A notable step up from its immediate predecessor, Episode II is more epic in most ways.  Sweeping action, huge battles, suspenseful intrigue, shocking revelations with immense complications- it has a lot of things going for it.  However, it suffers from the same poor acting and dialogue as Episode I, there's an over-reliance on CG, and the love story between Anakin and Padme is atrociously handled.  Still, we're heading in the right direction.

Rating: B-

Curious Warnings (M.R. James)

What better time than October to read tales of the supernatural?  Curious Warnings is a collection of ~40 ghost stories from M.R. James, an English writer in the late Victorian era considered by some to be the father of the genre.  The tales are generally set in the English countryside (or seaside), and feature the standard ghastly fare- the undead, (mostly) unseen spirits with ill intent, haunted objects, witchcraft, ancient secrets causing present problems, etc.  Most stories are 10-20 pages in length.

Famous author Neil Gaiman says this of M.R. James: "There are all sorts of writers and all sorts of nightmares, but M.R. James wrote the best ghost stories.  He may well have created the ghost story in its current form.  Nobody can do what he did as well as he could."  I'm not well-read in this genre, but I could see Gaiman's words being accurate.  James does a good job creating suspense and building it in a short time.  He creates a nameless fear- an lurking malevolence- so necessary for the genre.  Overall, this was a fun read.  Excellent art sprinkled throughout by Les Edwards added to the enjoyment (examples below).  If you're a fan of ghost stories, check out a few in this volume.

Rating: A

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Any regular readers will know I love Star Wars . . . so it's about time I reviewed the actual movies.   It's only appropriate as we count down to the next installment, Episode VII.  So let's start from the beginning . . . sort of.  The first Star Wars film (released in 1977) was actually Episode IV: A New Hope.  That film launched a worldwide obsession that continues to this day.  The first chronological film, however, was Episode I: The Phantom Menace.  Released in 1999, it is today's review.

The Phantom Menace sets the stage for the larger saga.  In it, we're introduced to many of the characters, locales, abilities, factions, and technologies that had become common pop culture knowledge due to the intense popularity of the first three movies released (Episodes IV-VI).  Here, we meet Anakin Skywalker and his erstwhile colleagues R2-D2, C-3PO, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and more.  A slave on the desert world of Tatooine, Anakin wins his freedom and becomes an apprentice to Qui-Gon Jinn, a Jedi Master, who promises to train the boy in the ways of the Force.  Before that can happen, though, they and their allies must resolve a blockade crisis on the small world of Naboo (ruled by Queen Amidala).  Standing in their way is a corrupt senate, the machinations of someone high in the Republic, an army of battle droids, and even the Sith, the long-lost "dark Jedi."  Can they prevail?

The Phantom Menace was met with high anticipation from many, it being the first Star Wars film in 16 years.  Regrettably, though, it is a bad movie, and audiences immediately recognized it as such.  It earned $475 million dollars in US theaters only because its predecessors were so beloved.  Here, the dialogue is atrocious, the acting is wooden (even from seasoned thespians), the CG and plot are only 'meh,' and some characters are highly annoying (Jar-Jar Binks being the most infamous).  It's a far cry in both content and delivery from the original trilogy.  In fact, later movies would prove this to be a sideshow at best- precious little of import is added to the saga.  Still, it at least sets the stage for the universe, and the galactic conflict to come.

Rating: C-

Aftermath (Chuck Wendig)

Star Wars: Aftermath gives us our first post-Return of the Jedi glimpse at the galaxy according to the new canon.  Here, we see a suddenly-leaderless (yet still powerful) Empire struggle with this latest defeat, and factions of Imperial leaders gather on the Outer Rim world of Akiva to decide their next steps.  Should they withdraw entirely?  Seek a new Emperor?  Or will their forces splinter and the ambitious surviving leaders fight amongst themselves?  While this conference is going on, several Rebels on Akiva catch wind of the meeting, and seek to capture the valuable participants while trying to break the communications blockade and warn the New Republic.  Will they succeed?  Or is the Empire still strong enough to overcome?

In the original Expanded Universe post-ROTJ tales, the Empire essentially rolled over after the Battle of Endor, and the New Republic formed immediately.  Some have (rightly) pointed out the implausibility of that, and so this new canon presents a more realistic view- one of the Empire in turmoil but not defeated; leaderless, but not without might.  That part, I liked.  Much of the rest, regrettably, I did not.  Here were the problems:
- The book tells us precious little.  I'll summarize: "Remaining Imperial leaders decide what to do as the fledgling New Republic begins to set up a new government."  I would have liked more detail; more story progression.  We get snippets or hints of good things- new leaders, mentions of old characters, etc.- but not much.
- Wendig's writing style and chosen vocabulary are . . . different.  Choppy.  Full of fragments.  Present tense.  Unusual.  In a bad way.  You get the point.
- There were the standard flaws that plague many Star Wars tales: unnecessary or unrealistic plot elements, shallow/poor character development, and poor dialogue.

Overall, this was okay, but not compelling.  That concerns me only because this was the big release before the new movie.  If this is the best they can do, I may stop reading these.

Rating: B-

Clone Wars: Lost Missions

Shortly after Disney bought Star Wars, they cancelled The Clone Wars TV show.  Since 13 episodes of (what would have been) season 6 had already been completed before the cancellation, they decided to release these under the heading The Lost Missions.

The Lost Missions are probably the best Clone Wars tales of the entire series.  We get a lot of backstory here to events in the movies- Episodes II and III especially- which gives interesting insight into things only mentioned on the big screen.  We learn things like:
- how the clones were 'programmed' with Order 66 without Jedi knowledge
- how the clone army was created and Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas was involved (and betrayed) in so doing
- how Yoda learns about Dagobah and picks up a new ability that will be important in Episodes IV-VI

In short, these Lost Missions are rife with Palpatine/Sidious machinations, deceptions, and suspense in addition to the adventure and action we expect from the series.  We sense a storm is coming . . . a storm that will break, with horrible consequences, in Episode III.  Indeed, some of these episodes were dark- even for adults- but (I would say) suitably so.  It makes me wonder what the rest of the season could have done, had the show continued (for the first time, it felt as though the series was going somewhere, rather than just telling miscellaneous stories).  Well done.

Rating: A+

The Four Loves (C.S. Lewis)

In The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis discusses what he considers the four categories or types of love:

• affection (think "mother for child")
• friendship (those of similar beliefs or interests)
• eros (think "lovers")
• charity (God's love for us)

He also talks about concepts like 'need-love' (I love it/them because it's required for my well-being) and 'gift-love' (I bestow favor and provide for another because I love them).  He discusses not only what the loves look like but the dangers of putting them above their station, "For natural loves that are allowed to become gods to not remain loves.  They are still called so, but can become in fact complicated forms of hatred."

I like Lewis- I've read many books by him.  I was drawn to this in particular because I believe "love" is a word we all use but mean different things by it.  I was hoping, therefore, that he would define it (or the different types of it) clearly.  He doesn't.  He discusses characteristics of each but doesn't succinctly define any.  This work, like his others, is in turn both wonderfully profound and difficult to follow.  I don't always get his train of thought, or follow his literary references (he assumes a degree of classical education in his audience that I simply don't have).  While thought-provoking and interesting, this didn't quite "scratch the itch."  It reminded me more of a wise man's stream-of-consciousness or conversational musings on a topic.  Since Lewis does have a good deal of wisdom, though, I'll end with some quotes I especially appreciated:

. . . we are mirrors whose brightness, if we are bright, is wholly derived from the sun that shines upon us.

Better this than parting.

For the Church has no beauty but what the Bridge-groom gives her; he does not find, but makes her, lovely.

But the proper aim of giving is to put the recipient in a state where he no longer needs our gift . . . Gift-love "must work towards its own abdication."

If you take nature as a teacher she will teach you exactly the lessons you ahd already decided to learn; this is only another way of saying that nature does not teach.

Man approaches God most nearly when he is in one sense least like God.

The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: “What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”

The human mind is generally far more eager to praise and dispraise than to describe and define. It wants to make every distinction a distinction of value; hence those fatal critics who can never point out the differing quality of two poets without putting them in an order of preference as if they were candidates for a prize.

Rating: B-

The Dark Knight Returns

Based on Frank Miller's famous graphic novel of the same name, The Dark Knight Returns is a two-part DC Comics animated movie.  Batman has been 'retired' for some time, but is compelled to again don the cape and cowl to confront, with a new female sidekick Robin,  the 'mutant' gang.  After dealing with this threat, though, a far bigger one arises- one that may ultimately claim all.  The new commissioner (replacing the just-retired Gordon), the President (obviously meant to be Reagan), and even Superman are against Bats and his quest.  Who will prevail?

I really liked the graphic novel, but read it so long ago I remember few specifics.  Thus, I do not know how faithful these movies are to it.  I can, however, say that the movies stand on their own as good productions.  Dark, gritty, disturbing- this is the Dark Knight at his finest.  Beware the PG-13 rating, though- some scenes are not suitable for children.

Rating: A

Memento Mori

"Remember [your eventual, inevitable] death" is the post title and subject today.  I felt it appropriate for October, the month we conclude with a focus on (or celebration of) the macabre.

After abbeys (here) and castles (some here), graveyards were my favorite sites to visit in Europe (the UK in particular).  Like abbeys, I generally felt a sense of peace strolling among the tombs.  Sadness was also present, and I cringed often, especially when noting those passings outside the 'natural order'- children lost, soldiers departed, and entire families wiped out by plague.  But overall, there was peace, for these stark reminders of mortality help me focus on that which will not fade.  Truly, most of my cares are pitiful when viewed in light of the eternal.

Though death comes to us all, we have different ways of preparing for it.  Some choose to ignore, and deliberately put it out of mind until their own passing to unknown shores.  Others fear or obsess, and focus overly on what comes next at the expense of the present.  I'm in the latter camp, though I should strive to behave as General Stonewall Jackson, who, when asked why he was so calm in battle, replied

. . . my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed.  God has fixed the time for my death.  I do not concern myself about that,but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me.  That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave.

to be always ready . . . yes.  May I live in this way.  We never know when our end will be- a good friend passed recently of natural causes, at age 36.  So may we live in such a way that the end is accompanied not by shock or fear, but peace and the hope of glory, clinging to the promises of God.

Below are some of my favorite photos of graveyards from Europe.  Most are from the UK.  They are loosely, but not necessarily logically, categorized.  Most photos are unedited; those that are have been cropped or converted to black and white only.  They're not superb, but I hope they remind me- and you- to "memento mori."


Scotland
The Scottish terrain and weather provide a suitably somber backdrop to resting places.  Below are a smattering of shots from Edinburgh, the Highlands, the border abbeys, the Isles of Mull and Skye, and Rob Roy's graveyard.

Jewish Cemeteries
Jewish tombs have something especially haunting about them.  Those pictured here are in Krakow (Poland) and Prague (Czech Republic), respectively.

The Bronte Parsonage
The Bronte family (of literary fame) lived next to a large graveyard, and drew well water affected by the same.  Their lives were, in some cases, tragically short as a result.

Whitby
The most famous cemetery in Whitby is situated in spectacular fashion, between cliffs (overlooking the sea) and the ruins of Whitby Abbey.  It's easy to see why it inspired Bram Stoker as he penned Dracula.

Eyam
A village infected by plague (its story is reviewed here), Eyam is worth a visit for island residents.

Abbeys
Graveyards next to abbeys are not uncommon, and the ruins give them a haunting backdrop.  Shown below are Bolton, Lindisfarne Priory (on Holy Island), and Easby.

Churches
I'll conclude with some English Churches and their accompanying graveyards.  Most of these were taken in the north . . . though I see one interior shot taken in Bruges, Belgium.  As I said, this is only loosely organized.