- An old favorite/something I haven't read in several years. For this goal I re-read The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (see post).
- A biography, memoir or piece of historical nonfiction: Shakespeare Saved My Life by Laura Bates (see post).
- A "classic" that I've never read before: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (see post).
And today I will go over the last two on my list:
- The first in a new series: Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher.
- A devotional/commentary/Bible-based/"inspirational" piece: The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller.
Furies of Calderon is the first in a six-book fantasy series by Jim Butcher (best know for his massive Dresden Files series, which my husband adores but I have not yet attempted). Butcher wrote Furies in response to a challenge that said he couldn't create a story about the lost Roman legion. And he did it! Sort of. I think it gets into more of the actual Roman connections later in the series. So while the military and governmental themes closely relate to those of ancient Rome, this story is set in a world very unlike our own. Soldiers, steadholders and politicians all wield a type of elemental magic called furycrafting...all except Tavi, our magic-less young hero.
While Tavi is struggling to find his place in the world, we meet Amara, a young woman in service to the First Lord (king-like leader) who uncovers shocking treason and is forced to flee for her life from her trusted mentor. Amara finds her way to Tavi's hometown and joins forces with Bernard, Tavi's stalwart and kindhearted uncle. While their love blossoms (very quickly, I might add), young Tavi encounters an unexpected threat that could have devastating and widespread consequences. He heads out to warn the garrison, accompanied by his devout and (seemingly) dimwitted manservant Fade. While they encounter many creatures and dangers along the way, Tavi's watercrafting/healer aunt Isana holds down the homestead and faces dangers of her own.
The book is well-written and reads at a fast pace, despite being over 500 pages (and that makes it one of the shortest books in the series!). I am already up to the fourth in the series and have very few complaints. Some of the supporting characters are easy to confuse - especially when they all have names like Marcus and Gaius and Rufus and Maximus and are plotting or disguised or using false names (!!) all at the same time. Probably my biggest complaint is one female character who is a disgusting masochistic stereotype. Even though she is evil and played for over-the-top ridiculousness, it still feels like the author takes lecherous enjoyment writing her scenes. Ugh. She thankfully fades into the background after the first book, and so far her re-appearances have been few and far between.
I have been so happy lately to find several sprawling high fantasy adventures that don't waste time focusing on steamy romance or unnecessarily twisted content. In college I started and abandoned several books like that. High fantasy is a genre I enjoy reading, though it does take careful picking and choosing to find adventures really worth the time.
The final category on my summer reading list - a Bible-based piece - was filled by Timothy Keller's newest book, The Meaning of Marriage. I will admit that I have not actually finished this one yet, but it's really a book meant to be spread out over time and not read in one sitting.
Keller and his wife Kelly have written and spoken about marriage for years, and their advice is practical and Biblically-sound. They tackle topics such as the cultural obsession with finding your soul-mate, the false idea that "love is all you need" and the incredible amount of work it takes to keep a marriage healthy and strong. One of my favorite passages so far compares marriage to becoming a professional athlete or artist. You can't just say, "I want to be a great baseball player" and then go out and achieve it...not without years of effort and hard work. Why should marriage be any different? Two people living together in a finely-tuned, harmonious relationship takes just as much work as perfecting a fastball or a flawless rendition of "Freebird."
Like I said, I haven't finished reading Marriage yet, so I expect to be sharing more insights from it in the future. But it is one I definitely recommend for newly-weds, almost-weds, or anyone already up to the fabled picket-fence-two-kids-and-a-dog stage. December will mark 6 years of marriage for me and Matt, and there is always, always more for us to learn.
Hooray for goals! These books were read between June-September this year, and I enjoyed the diversity of genres. An enjoyable project indeed.
Hooray for goals! These books were read between June-September this year, and I enjoyed the diversity of genres. An enjoyable project indeed.
