Past, Present and Future

The english what I learnt

Now that I have passed all my games stuff on for peer review and (hopefully) publishing, I have been able to get some reading in. As is my habit, I tend to have several books and audio books 'on the go' at the same time. The thing that seems to be most interesting is the quality of the writing and the english usage displayed by the writers. I would use a number of books and writers to illustrate my point.

First up is Dan Brown and his series of books showing the hidden powers and secrets behind our daily lives. I didn't really enjoy the 'DaVinci Code' or really take to 'Angels and Demons' and have no interest in his latest book. I found his use of language very poor and he is a fairly 'sloppy' writer. His metaphors are overdone, his details of geography are hazy and, ultimately, I found the details of his research to be too pedantic and condescending. If it wasn't for the silliness of the Church and the various religious groups and people who objected to the 'DaVinci Code', then he wouldn't have been as well known and that awful film would not have been made. Sorry Mr. Brown - just my opinion.

Another target for me is - wait for it - J. K. Rowling. Now, don't get me wrong, I do like reading Harry Potter and I've just finished 'The Deathly Hallows' for a third time; but.... I find that she draws things out too far and repeats too much information. The writing is OK and her use of language is good throughout, however it is a very basic level of english. I know that the initial stories were aimed at younger children, which would explain the simple writing; but the later books are obviously for a more sophisticated audience. It's a pity the writing doesn't reflect this.

Last up (for now) is the so-called 'master' of alternative history, Harry Turtledove. Overall his use of language is absolutely first class and the clarity of his descriptions really enhance the reading of his stories. However (you knew that word was coming), by continuing his books to create a huge series can get a bit overwhelming. After a while he starts to be boring and predictable and sometimes goes completely off into the realms of absolute nonsense. I'm fed up with reading over and over how one character gets burnt in the sun - just once is enough - I'm not stupid. Mind you, if you want a treat and want to get the best of his writing, I can recommended 'Ruled Britannia' wholeheartedly. I really regret that I gave my copy away - I really must re-purchase this one.

Opening Salvos

I know - it's been a while - sorry. I hope you enjoyed my foray into alternative fiction. Today is an important anniversary in World and especially Polish history. 70 years ago today the massed armies of Nazi Germany crashed across the Polish borders and the Second World War was 'on'. However, despite the seeming hopelessness of resistance, the Poles fought as bravely as they have ever done and, even when the Soviet Union sent it's 'steamroller' across the Polish frontiers, they fought till the bitter end. The Polish nation had, however, already made its contribution to the winning of the war against the Axis powers. The passing on of a German Enigma machine to British Intelligence was the impetus that created the first true computers and the ability to read the secret plans of a rapacious enemy. It's arguable that this was one of the more powerful weapons that the Allies had. One of the most important personalities that ensured the best use of the Enigma messages was a shy young man by the name of Alan Turing. It's fitting that he should now be remembered and publicly thanked for his efforts and it should be recognized that he was shamefully treated. Unfortunately, Britain has a history of ignoring or badly treating people that had made a difference. What was Hugh Dowdings' reward after winning the Battle of Britain - he was sacked!

On a more familiar note; I've just finished reading two related but very dissimilar books; 'Inferno' and 'Escape From Hell', both by that awesome team of Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. These are related, in that the major character is the same and that the locale is the same, but there the similarities seem to end and this seems to show why re-visiting earlier writing doesn't always work. 'Inferno' is a very clever re-imaging of Dante's original from his 'Divine Comedy'. The 'guided tour' of the stylized Christian Hell is a fascinating and sometimes disturbing journey. The pace is non-stop and we soon find we are at the end of the story before we know it. I really enjoyed the ride and was interested enough to try the sequel -the original was published in 1976. What a disappointment and a let down. It seemed to lack the fun and pace of the original and I found it rather heavy going in places and far too 'preachy'. Other than meeting some new (and old) characters, there was nothing to hold my attention or 'suspension of disbelief'. Sorry guys, you should have left the original to stand alone. Like Jaws; the first one was amazing cinema; the subsequent outings....why did you bother?

Bored silly

I'm sure that you, as many people, were exposed to Shakespeare in school and mightily bored you were as well. It seems very hard to make his plays relevant or exciting without making the story 'modern', whatever that means. To be honest, I have enjoyed many of his plays in the original settings and in particular 'The Scottish Play', Troilus and Cressida' and Julius Caesar. I never found much in Romeo and Juliet until my son had to read it - man, that is a funny play. Some of the lines are just amazing, especially when Romeo first tries to kiss Juliet, 'you call THAT a kiss?' In many cases, just modernizing these classics makes them lose some of the meaning of the original and does nothing to make a viewer want to read or see these plays as they were written. Back in 'the day', the BBC brought many of Shakespeare's plays to the screen specially rewritten to make them more accessible to children and young adults. The absolute best of these was 'Heil Caesar', first shown in 1975. This retelling of the venerable Julius Caesar was set in modern times in a 'banana' republic where Caesar was a military man who was being groomed for politics. His murder and subsequent coup was planned and executed (pun intended) by jealous and scared rivals. Caesar's closest colleague, Mark Anthony, addressed the nation using his right of reply as a political leader. What remains with me after all these years is the scene where, in the play, Brutus falls on his sword. In this variant, he asks an aide to run him through - he can't commit suicide - he's Catholic.