The Sandman Volume 1: Preludes & Nocturnes (Neil Gaiman)

Morpheus, the King of Dreams, is unexpectedly called out of his realm by human sorcery.  Imprisoned for decades, he patiently waits for the right moment.  When it arrives, he is free . . . but his possessions have been taken.  He doggedly sets out to recover them- and with them, his strength.  Can he prevail?  And how will humanity suffer in the dreamworld during the process?

I've been intrigued by the Sandman character for years, and I enjoy the occasional Neil Gaiman story.  His 12-volume Sandman series is highly regarded . . . unfortunately, this first volume was a bit too confusing, weird and/or creepy for me.  Perhaps that's to be expected- an entity who operates in the dream world is bound to produce odd, disconnected stories.  But it also featured occult elements (and a journey into Hell), which I personally don't like.  There were some interesting concepts and intriguing elements, so it was okay overall, but I don't think I'll be reading more of the series.

Rating: B

D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths

Written in 1967, D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths is exactly what it states.  It's a lavishly illustrated overview, appropriate for children, of Norse mythology.  Here, we learn about the gods (Odin, Thor, Loki, etc.) and their exploits, culminating in Ragnarok.  The nine worlds/world tree are also discussed (and shown below as an example of the art).

World Tree: image from here

(Aside: here is another interesting page on world tree art.)

This is a nice little book.  It's a quick read at ~150 pages and covers the basics well.  As it's written for children, some of the more racy (or violent) elements are toned down, but the point is conveyed sufficiently.  The art was okay . . . colorful, but seemed dated.  Overall, though, this is a good overview.

Rating: A

Shadows of the Empire (Steve Perry)

Well do I remember how excited I was to see Star Wars novels produced.  Though Return of the Jedi came out in 1983, licensed books weren't released until over 10 years later.  Shadows of the Empire, a 1996 release, was in the first 'wave' of titles coming on the heels of Timothy Zahn's successful Thrawn trilogy.  Shadows covers the time between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, following Luke, Leia, Lando and Chewie as they try to rescue a frozen Han Solo.  While they search for him, Darth Vader becomes obsessed with finding young Skywalker, while a new menace- Prince Xizor, head of the Black Sun crime syndicate- makes his presence felt.  Can our heroes overcome intense odds?

This was my second or third time reading this book, so you can guess that I liked it.  Yes, it's campy in many ways . . . but so are the movies.  The action is good and the book moves swiftly, introducing characters (like Xizor, Dash Rendar, and Guri) that would become fan favorites.  The dialogue isn't great, there are some odd plot leaps, and character development is poor, but again . . . look at the movies.  Despite pretty major flaws, I can't help but enjoy this, and it hasn't lost its luster 20 years later. It's such a fast read, I recommend it for Star Wars fans- even though Disney's new canon has relegated this to the "legends" pile.

Rating: A

Gaming Buddies

image from here, happymeeple.com

Greg* moves out west today; we said goodbye over a game of Star Wars Miniatures this past weekend.  I'll miss him, and I don't like thinking that I may not see him for years.  But such is life, and our parting is only the latest; there have been (and will be) others.  Such is life in this transient society.  It's times like this, though, that make me reflect on how thankful I am for these 'gaming buddies.'

People tend to develop friendships due to shared interests, be it politics, sports, work, religion, or hobbies.  Over the years, I've been blessed with friends from all walks of life, for all sorts of reasons.  Friendships formed over games, though, seem special to me.  I'm not sure why; perhaps it's due to the consistent enjoyment such interactions feature, or the fact that gaming together seems like a better way to hang out than other options.  After all, in gaming, you can simultaneously work the brain, have a lot of fun, relax, get social interaction, and help each other through life's ups and downs.  Not a lot of other pursuits facilitate all of those simultaneously (I think).  Or maybe these stand out to me because games are deliberate (and often much-needed) breaks from the daily grind.  Whatever the reason, below I recap my experience with gaming buddies.

Middle & High School:
My best friend, Justin, and I played Magic the Gathering and dabbled in many other CCGs.  It was the heyday of the collectible card game industry, and we enjoyed every minute of it.

College:
One day, I saw Gilbert sitting alone at lunch and asked to join him.  We learned of our mutual interest in Star Wars CCG, and it soon became a weekly occurrence.  Every Sunday afternoon we'd play in the lounge of our dorm room.  Those were such relaxing and fun times.  I'd lose touch with him years after.  I wonder what he's up to now . . .

Bachelor:
I sampled a number of collectible games (like Firestorm, 7th Sea, and A Game of Thrones) with Jess,  but my real love was Star Wars Miniatures, which I played a number of times with my roommates and friends from work and church.

Germany: 
Gaming went up a notch in Germany.  I introduced Star Wars Miniatures to Roberto, John, Ken, and Burt, and we played pretty frequently, obsessing about it at times (at least I did).  We had so much fun that many of us would play in two German Star Wars Miniatures championship tournaments.  I also played Vs. System with Vee and Magic the Gathering with James, Burt, and others.  I'm thankful that many of these relationships (and gaming nights) have continued back home in America, now that we've all moved back here.

England: 
I enjoyed the occasional Star Wars Miniatures, Star Wars CCG, Magic, and board game nights with English and American friends alike (especially Aidan and Roland), but never did anything too consistently; young children prohibited it.

America:
Regular game nights with the Germany crew- Burt, Ken, and Roberto- have been awesome.  We oscillate between mainstays (Magic & Minis) and new things like Arena of the Planeswalkers or other games.  I introduced Magic to new friends Bobby and Ike, and we get in monthly duels too.  I started monthly gaming nights for men at my church, and that's been great- it's given me a chance to branch out from the collectible game arena into the tabletop world and get to know Joe, Marty, and Jamie among other people.  Finally, I routinely played Star Wars Armada with Greg.  It was a good game, but I ultimately sold it because it took too long and was too expensive.

Conclusion
Lots of good memories here . . . may they never fade.

*Names in this post have been changed to protect identities.

Magnus Chase: The Sword of Summer (Rick Riordan)

I'm on a bit of a Norse mythology kick, and last November I was impressed by Rick Riordan's companion novel to the Magnus Chase series, though I hadn't read the actual series itself.  The Sword of Summer is book one . . . so let's start there.

Magnus Chase is homeless in Boston, having lost his mother a few years prior.  Though down on his luck, he makes the best of life and even enjoys the homeless community.  Things change forever, though, when he dies . . . and ends up in Valhalla.  As he learns his environment and heritage, he realizes that something is amiss.  Ragnarok (the Norse equivalent of Armageddon) may come sooner than expected, but he may be able to stop it.  On his journey, he meets memorable characters (like Thor, Loki, Odin, the World Serpent, and others) in fantastic realms. But he also meets great hardship . . . can he stop Fenris Wolf from escaping and starting the end times?

I enjoyed this.  The adventure and humor are good, and Riordan finds interesting ways to incorporate elements of Norse mythology* into the story.  He also gives the gods hilarious attributes (example: Odin is a motivational speaker) and places them in the context of a modern age (so things like smart phones are in the story), which also has a humorous tinge to it (in the Dave Barry style).  It can be predictable in places, but for a young adult series, this is entertaining and (sort of) educational; I look forward to seeing how the trilogy progresses.

Rating: A

*some prior knowledge of Norse mythology will heighten your enjoyment, but isn't necessary.

Penn State Football

Back in 2013, I did a series of posts on my favorite sports teams.  I neglected college sports at the time; this post amends that omission.  Today, I look at Penn State football.

Origin of Fandom

Penn State football holds a special place in my heart for two reasons:

1. I attended school there, along with my wife and many family members.
2. As reflected by their uniforms (simple with no 'brownie points' on the helmet or names on the jerseys), they focus on the concept of team over the individual.

I grew up cheering for Penn State, as many of my family were alumni long before I was.  It was easy to root for this down-to-earth team, known for excellent running backs and linebackers.

It hasn't all been good.  In 2011, hearts were broken as the Jerry Sandusky scandal rocked the university.  Penn State owned up for its share of the wrongdoing, however, and actively worked reconciliation.

Recent History

I don't remember the 1986 championship team, but my parents sure do.  Three teams stick out most in my mind:

1994's undefeated team
Kerry Collins (QB), Ki-Jana Carter (RB), Bobby Engram (WR), Joe Jurevicius (WR), Kyle Brady (TE), Joe Hartings (G) all played in the NFL after school, most of them for many years.  They dominated opponents all year long and made up for an unusually-lackluster defense.  Though they ended the year undefeated, in these years before the College Football Playoff they were obligated (as Big Ten Champions) to play in the Rose Bowl.  They'd win, but it wasn't enough to convince the pollsters to place them above Nebraska.  They'd finish number 2 in all polls except one- the NYTimes computer-generated poll- where they were top dog.  We'll always wonder how a PSU-Nebraska game would have ended that year.

1999's defense
After opening the year with nine straight wins and beating four ranked opponents along the way, the second-ranked Nittanly Lions lost three in a row to close out the regular season, redeeming themselves with a bowl-game shut-out.  LaVar Arrington (LB), Brandon Short (LB), Courtney Brown (DE), and David Macklin (CB) stood out on an outstanding defense that was a thrill to watch.  As I was in school there at this time, I remember it well- especially the 'LaVar leap' seen below.



- 2016's offense
Stuttering to a 2-2 start, the team would win nine in a row, including two wins over teams in the top six (Ohio State and Wisconsin) to earn the Big Ten Championship.  The offense was amazing.  Trace McSorley (QB), Saquon Barkley (RB), Chris Godwin (WR), and Mike Gesicki (TE) made mincemeat of teams.  Their specialty was second-half play (they'd go into a hole in the first half, then come out swinging in the second) and a home-run offense, nowhere better exemplified than by their come-from-behind win against Wisconsin to win the Big Ten Championship.  The video with those highlights is below.  They ended up losing a thrilling Rose Bowl to USC, but not before another impressive comeback put them in position to win.




Final Thoughts

Of all the good players, I remember Penn State's notable linebackers, running backs, and quarterbacks the most. Linebackers like:

Tamba Hali, Paul Posluszny, Sean Lee, LaVar Arrington, Dan Connor, NaVorro Bowman, Cameron Wake, Aaron Maybin, Shane Conlan, Michael Mauti, Gerald Hodges, Brandon Short

Running backs like:

Ki-Jana Carter, Curtis Enis, Larry Johnson, Saquon Barkley, D.J. Dozier, Blair Thomas, Tony Hunt, 

Eric McCoo

Quarterbacks like:
Kerry Collins, Michael Robinson, Matt McGloin

Lots of good memories here.  Go Penn State!

Fallen: A Theology of Sin (Various)

One might (rightly) infer from my blog URL that our fallen human nature is one of my focus areas.  Indeed, I'm extremely good at falling- as in sinning.  Fallen: A Theology of Sin looks at this important topic.

In Fallen, ten respected theologians provide essays looking at sin from different perspectives. The following are covered:

• Sin's Contemporary Significance
• Sin as discussed in the Old Testament and New Testament
• Sin in the Biblical Story
• Sin in Historical Theology
• A Theology of Sin for Today
• Satan, Sin, and Evil
• Sin and Temptation
• Repentance

Summary

Below I present and summarize some key concepts found in the book.  All quotes, unless indicated otherwise, are from it.

"Why am I not the way I am supposed to be?  The human phenomenon bears witness that something is wrong- with the world, with us, and with me."  It was not always so- "in the beginning, God created a good cosmos with good humans who had good relationships with him, themselves, on another, and with creation itself."  But no longer.  Through Adam and Eve, "sin has entered the picture and has brought disruption and alienation in each human relationship- with God, oneself, one another, and creation."

Why does this topic matter?
It's important to understand this reality- and exactly what sin is- because it's the primary problem in the world, and if we understand the problem, we better understand the depth and nature of the solution: the salvation granted by Jesus on the cross.  Indeed, "if we do not comprehend the massive role that sin plays in the Bible and therefore in biblically faithful Christianity, we shall misread the Bible."  Yes, "salvation has no meaning unless we understand what it is that we have been saved from and why salvation is necessary in the first place.  Knowing the nature and effects of sin is the essential preliminary to understanding what Christ did to defeat it.  If we get that wrong, our appreciation of salvation will be distorted and the gospel will be lost."

So what is sin?
"What makes sin sin, in the deepest sense, is that it is against God."  It "is breaking God's law and therefore defying God himself.  This involves failing to do what God commands and doing what God prohibits."  Note that it "is fundamentally relational," and the "motive for sin remains unbelief . . .  manifested as a lack of faith in Yahweh."  We disbelieve the Lord and disregard His commands, bring upon ourselves destruction and ruin.  "Sin amounts to twisting the truth, rebelling against God, and purposefully missing God's goals."

Sin is pervasive- "is not an optional characteristic loosely tacked on to otherwise unblemished beings but a pervasive power and guilt and tragedy that define all human experience;"  "not an innocent shortfall but a toxic and damning condition of guilt before God."

Sin affects everything (even creation) and everyone.  It "is the offense of individuals, but it is profoundly social and multi-generational."  We know this to be true based on our experiences- the sins of generations past continue to haunt us today, and our own failures will hurt those who follow.

What are we to do about sin?  

Jesus is clear: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17).  "This implies abandoning certain wrong attitudes and actions and adopting others.  It implies forsaking sin and replacing it with what is right."  We are to confess our own fallen thoughts, deeds, and words and cling to Jesus, believing in Him as our savior.  We then rejoice, knowing that we're saved by His grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and demonstrate this renewed life as we "bear fruits in keeping with repentance" (Matthew 3:8).

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:3-5)

Yes, we rejoice as God "is making all things new" (Revelation 21:5), and reconciling all things to himself (Colossian 1:20).

Review

This book is excellent.  It's both scholarly and easy for a layman to follow.  Some material is covered multiple times, as it's looking at things from different perspectives.  (It didn't seem repetitive, though.)  As each chapter was written by a different author, I rated each individually- and all were good, warranting either an A+, A, or A-.  It was both educational, edifying, and humbling.  The authors unpack many Scriptures to show the depth, horror, and reality of sin.  We need to treat sin as the ugly reality it is- for when we do, we more clearly understand and long for our Savior.  This book, along with Not the Way it's Supposed to Be,  is a must-have resource.

Rating: A+