Legend Of Miracles

The Teriyaki Chicken Rice in Jurong Entertainment Centre is one of the best I have ever tasted. I munched on the sweet watermelon. I chomped on the crunchy vegetables. I relished the taste of the teriyaki chicken. I savoured the sauce and even poured the last dribble over the rice. I slurped the soup down. And all this for $4.80. Life can be a series of enjoyment some times.

—————————————–

So far, I’m still enjoying Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. Now I know why it’s this name, although my guess about the Gryffindor’s Sword being the Elder Wand is wrong. And I’m glad that Dumbledore is still in the story, hanging in the background, but nevertheless, in the story. Just wish the trio are able to speak to the Dumbledore portrait though.

Stretched out upon the floor
A patient on cold metallic table
Under a thin white canopy
In sleep, eternally

*********

I finally got myself a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, but I was made $42 poorer. Although, I must say that the free T-Shirt they gave was quite nice. For others, the whole adventure is over. For me, I have yet to lay this series to dust yet. The very last leg of the marathon is still resting peacefully in the wooden prison of cupboard.

I’ll get around to the end of the marathon. Eventually.

Title: The Five People You Meet In Heaven Author: Mitch Albom Genre: Literature / Self-Enrichment Summary: “All endings are also beginnings. We just don’t know it at the time…” On his eighty-third birthday, Eddie, a lonely war veteran, dies in a tragic accident trying to save a little girl from a falling cart. With his final breath, he feels two small hands in his - and then nothing. He awakens in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a lush Garden of Eden

Review: When Sargeant Jeremy borrowed it from me at the rifle range, it took all my self control not to rebutt him when he says “This is also a self help book, right?”. First of all, you don’t need to “help” yourself to die. Just make a lot of enemies and they will gladly help you along with it. Second of all, when we say “help”, it is something that provides us accomplished certain needs. Even if your need happens to be going to heaven, it doesn’t provide a set of formula for you to get to heaven. Last of all, this is not a self-help book. It’s a self enrichment book, meant to widen your perspective on life and hopefully have a positive impact on your life. If not, it gives you something to think about so you don’t go around annoying other people…I was so proud that I only let it out now that I almost broke my back trying to pat myself on the back…Now with that done…

This is actually a relatively simple and short book, with ideas presented in a manner that does not require much hassle to understand. The flow of the book was so natural that you will simply go along with the book and read it continuously. It took me only about an hour to finish the whole book and I was not even speed reading or anything. This is probably because, I only just realise, that it is based on one single idea, presented in five different angles.

Each person’s story touched my heart, because there were no melodrama, no begging of sympathy, or any great philosophy that sets light bulbs off in your brain. Just a simple narration of their own stories to complete Eddie’s (Just in case you guys don’t know, that guy who was in “heaven” is called “Eddie”) life story, so he will understand why things happened the way it did in his life. It touched my heart in a way no other books has, because it surrounds a simple but forgotten idea.

Of course, the style of writing is unique too, letting us living through Eddie’s life by going through his birthdays. It makes me feel as if I am living Eddie’s life, while someone is telling me his or her story to complete mine. For a brief moment, I truly appreciate Tom Cruise’s line “You complete me” in “Jerry McGuire”, except that my life is being completed by someone else.

Albom must have taken a liking to jigsaw puzzle, because each story provides certain pieces, but you need other pieces to complete it, which is why Albom had five people. And it is just the right number of people too, not too short that you have no foggiest idea what is going on, but not so long that you feel it is getting too draggy and want throw your hands up in the air and yell “Enough already!”. For some people, it seems too short, but for me, it was just perfect.

Rating: I particularly like the idea “The angles of the story sometimes coincide each other”. I give this book 4.5 / 5.0 because it resonates closely with my thinking and philosophy.

Like our bubbly and ever optimist, Jason, would say, “Hey, peeps!”. Yea, I know, I haven’t been blogging as much as I did in the past. I’m at the part of my studies where I don’t want to write. I just want to read. I mean, I do think a lot, but whenever I sit in front of the computer, my mind suddenly turn blank. I can think a lot when I’m walking, running, playing piano, playing computer games, watching television and all those stuff, but the moment I sit down, I simply can’t write. I call this “Post Activities Writing Moment Disorder”…Scientists should invent something that attach wires to our brains and record our thoughts down, so we are able to review them when we need it…What a great invention it would be.

Anyway, back to more mundane stuff. Today has been a day of accomplishments. I went to the Library Book Sale this morning, with Jason and Balan, to take a look at, as you can guess, books. There was a fair amount of excitment in the air. At least it is for me, since the rest of the people seems more interested at looking for books.

I saw a lot of books, books that I read, books which I saw before but did not fancy. In fact, I was able to pick up a substantial amount of books, all ranging from children series like “Finnegan Zwake”, to “Mediators”, to “The Horrors of 21st century”, to even “Buffy” and “Angel” series. I mean, come on, I’ve been book hunting since I was like what, twelve? But in the end, I returned them all to the book holders.

“That’s it! He has finally went bonkers!”…No, actually, I’m not. I enjoy hunting for books. I mean, actually those books were old. Old as in not the condition but the way they are written. Besides, those books that I picked up are books which I read before, and I did not know if I say this before, but I could remember the stories almost as soon as I saw them. For me, there’s no point owning them.

Not only that, those books are not in very good condition. I like my books new. I took care of them and I make sure they stay as close to their original condition when I bought them, no matter how many times I read or flip through them. I don’t know if all book lovers take such good care of their books, but I am definitely one of those who can’t stand people who waste books away.

Anyway, while Jason and Balan were happily queueing up to pay for their buys, I rushed down to Red Cross just in time to get my certificate before they closed. I figure out that after months of procrastinating, it’s time to get it before something really comes up and I can’t get it. I remember our own training when I saw the new trainees handling the manakin, trying to do their CPR…

I think today is probably one of those rare days where I went out with my friends for almost one whole day, doing some mundane stuff together and bonding. I mean, now when I go out with my friends, it always celebrating someone’s birthday, instead of sitting around and talking about the past, talking about us, talking about what is happening and what is going to happen. I used to do it with Jun Liang, talking about almost anything under the sun, but now, he’s busy, I’m busy…Heck, we don’t even talk to each other on the phone anymore…Can’t do. Got to bother him one of these days.

Anyway, I just realised this rant is starting to get a little long (and moody as well, in fact)…See ya guys around!

PS: I bought myself a new bag. Yay me!

Title: The Magician’s Guild Series: The Black Magician Trilogy Author: Trudi Canavan Genre: Fantasy / Point Thriller / Point Romance Summary: Each year the magicians of Imardin gather to purge the city streets of beggars, urchins and miscreats. Masters of the disciplines of magic, they know that no one can oppose them. But their protective shield is not as impenetrable as they believe. As the mob is herded from the city, Sonea, a young street girl, furious at the authorities’ treatment of

After five hundred years of order, the guild’s worst fear has been realised - an untrained magician is loose on the streets. She must be found, and quickly, before her unconstrolled powers unleash forces that will destroyed both her, and the city that is her home.

Review: One of the most annoying thing that can happened when you are carrying a hard cover book is that, people would ask you “Why are you reading a bible?”, without knowing that was actually a story book. Oh, nothing much, just about three or four times the moment I stepped into the camp. Now my little rant is over, let’s get on with the review, shall we? It’s annoying to get sidetracked.

Anyway, one thing to commend is that, like Christopher Paolini’s “Eragon“, there is no lengthy introductions. It was clean and straight to the point, unlike other authors who would drag on about the main character’s life, the people, the world in which they lived in and the yaddas. Canavan, apparently, don’t really have the whole fantasy world sketched out yet, since her first book primarily dealt in cat and mouse game.

Second is that, she gave a lot of false impressions, one sided views and perceptions in the first part of the story, before introducing the oppositions-who-are-prospective-teachers-to-be to slowly dispel and justify their actions. This was quite refreshing in the sense that, the grey area was slowly dissected into black and white areas, unlike other books, including other genre, where the black and white areas are being set quite early in the story.

And of course, there is a subtle sense of romance in this book. It was masterly written in such a way that no one would realise it. Of course, this is like a typical romance development, where Canavan gave insights to how feminine minds actually work, and how males would do little and insignificant things.

Moreover, Canavan is good scene breaks and false scenes, giving rise to false alarm and suspension. The explanations are always done in a clear manner and introduction of foreign events or people are never more than anything readers cannot handle at the moment. I know of certain writers who would introduce hoards of people, only to let us down when we realise they are not being used or being neglected.

However, after finishing the book, you will realise, this is actually one whole lengthy introduction to something which is more dark and sinister. I would not recommend this book to people if they are expecting something which is quick and enjoyable.

Futhermore, some of the reactions of the characters seems unlikely and sometimes, a little dramatic. It threw off my senses a little because the characters seems a little flighty. So there are times where you just have to wonder if it was done deliberately by the perception of different characters or there is no consistency in the characters.

Rating: The flow of the book was quite smooth and some of the ideas are quite refreshing. However, it is blemished by little things like inconsistency and the likes. Hence, I give 3.5 / 5.0.

Alright, this is starting to get annoying. I mean, every week back to camp? What in the world is that for? First, it’s guard duty. Then, it’s for CO evening. Following, it’s for doing standby stores. Later, we have to go back for standby, activation and all those crap. Now, we finished our standby and we STILL have to go back to camp for stand down. Where in the world is the reason for that? Yea, yea, I’m in army, I shouldn’t really complain…But complaining about army is about the only thing I can could now…I mean, I can’t even watch my serials in peace…

Besides complaining, there’s nothing much I want to say. Oh, just for curiousity sake, just how many people are reading “Eragon” and “Eldest“? Because I’ve been receiving referrers from “Google” about “Eragon” and “Eldest” and it appears that those two blog entries I made are among the top searches in “Google”…It’s nice, I suppose, but it’s starting to get annoying that people are visiting my site just for the sake of those two reviews…Maybe I should add a re-directing link or something like that.

I came across this book review unintentionally while surfing through Amazon for some good reads, and I could help but enjoy this review. It’s funny but at the same time, it’s helpful. I wonder when comes the time when I can review a book like this…

Title: Atlantis Author: David Gibbins Genre: Sci-Fic / Techno-thriller Summary: One day, on a dive in the Mediterranean, marine archaeologist Jack Howard gets lucky. Very lucky. He and his team uncover what could be the key to the location of the lost island. Jack is on the verge of making an astounding breakthough, but someone else knows about Atlantis’s location. And Jack and those closest to him are suddenly locked in a life or death game with consequences that could destroy thousands of lives.

Review: It’s not as good as the blurb sounds. It sounds interesting, but it’s not. I hate to read a book only to know that it is wasting my time in the end. This is a mere book of 450 pages, give or take a little. If you guys have kept up with me when I was charting the progress of this book, you should know how much effort I really put it in. The book will get interesting, once you get pass the first three hundred pages or so of boring settings, one dimensional angles, loopholes here and there, the incessant droning on of geography, history and aqua-technology and the usage of least frequently used vocabularies from 1000-page Oxford dictionary. Heck, I don’t even think Oxford dictionary has some of the words he used.

Not to rant, but can this guy get anymore boring? I have never once been through a history lesson that boring before…I even managed to endure my Physic tutor’s lectures, but the way he presented his work is ridiculous! Not only is the story flat, the writer is writing in the belief that everyone reading is a geography/history student or teacher. He would often just throw in bits and pieces of history without at least a short lead-up to it, leaving readers without history background in ancient Egypt floundering about, no foggiest idea what is going on. This is one of the severe mistake.

Also, he likes to use ancient words. If you guys know, the English we know today is actually a collection of words from Latin, Roman, Greek and other languages, slowly evolving into today’s language we used in our daily conversation. He knows this, I give it to him, but he assume we also knows about it. This is a serious drawback in writing because you have to write based on the assumption that the readers are not as well educated in the study of language as you are.

However, once you are able to look pass all these, you are reading a potential masterpiece. The story goes into full swing after 300 pages or so, leaving you breathless while action after action takes place. And before you know it, it ends. Why? Because it’s only about 450 pages long…Professional archaeologists, geography / history teachers and people who are interested in Pablo’s fabled island might like this book. But I doubt people who are looking for a good book would want to read this book. It’s a good time waster though. Wasted about what? 3 weeks of my time…

I’m not saying that this is a must read, but it’s a potential read if you are willing to take up the challenge of deciphering what the writer is trying to put across and waiting for the action at the later part of the book. He even provided an ambiguous map of Mediterranean for you to refer. Isn’t it sweet of him?

Rating: I would have given him 1.5, but I decided to give him 0.5 for the action towards the end and another 0.5 for the geographic and historic information. 2.5 / 5.0 is the maximum I am willing to give for this book.

Title: The Da Vinci Code Author: Dan Brown Genre: Sci-Fic / Thriller Summary: Harvard professor Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call while on business in Paris: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been brutally murdered inside the museum. Alongside the body, police have found a series of baffling codes. As Langdon and a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, begin to sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to find a trail that leads to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci - and suggests the answer to a mystery that stretches deep into the vaults of history.

Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine code and quickly assembly the pieces of the puzzle, a stunning historical truth will be lost forever…

Review: The only first place why I even read this book is because of all the hype surrounding this book. I, myself is actually more of a fantasy reader, preferring to read books set in imaginary lands, as it allows more freedom in daydreaming. I don’t just read books; I visualise them into real life, coupled with my experiences and put myself into a 3D movie.

I am not a Christian, either am I well versed in the Bible. I don’t even know what is the difference between New Testament and Old Testament. But he gives me the idea that whatever that is written in the Bible is wrong. Although I know not. Early days of Christianity is not exactly covered in glory and I have been bothered enough by missionaries to be put off by Christianity. But never have I viewed Christianity in such a…cynical way as Dan Brown has put it across.

Aside from this, you have to credit Da Vinci Code (It’s pronounced as “Vin-Chay”) and Dan Brown. A lot of people have argued about this book on religion. I’m just a young man with a humble background in Mathematics. That means I am most apt in picking up patterns and trying to decode things is one of my favourite past-times. In the past, of course. Although the starting of the book was explosive and noisy, it was a little too theatrical for my taste. Until Dan Brown describe Sauniere’s death posture. I knew at once that it was The Vitruvian Man, because not only is it famous, it also has the idea of “Maths” stamped all over it. Among Leonardo Da Vinci’s many talents, if I remember correctly, he was also a Mathematician. On one side, as Dan brown has so aptly described, it was related to Paganism, or recent days Wicca. But personally, I believe it has to do with Maths, angles and the likes. I doubt people who study extensively in Maths don’t know what post Dan Brown is trying to put across. That is where I perked up with interest.

The initial cryptic message and the usage of Fibonacci sequence was brilliant. I would have never thought that the Maths could be used in such a way. And Dan Brown really gives whole new meaning to “P.S.” (post script). While the plot itself was simple (You will feel it once you explore books beyond Brown, Eddings and Tolkien), it was the constant usage of coded messages and famous people from distant history that kept me interested. I paid scant attention to how they escaped and make their way to Langdon’s friend’s house, but my attention riveted on the idea of Newton, ancient words and the way Brown played with his words. It was practically priceless.

The plot is a let-down (I knew something was wrong with Leigh Teabings, thanks to those story books by R.L. Stine I read in my younger days) and the ending was like…Hmm…But this book is definitely a must for Mathematicians, Historians and Linguists. Teachers and students alike. I never read a book that actually satisfy all my field of interests at one go. This book is a gem, if you know what you are reading and you have interests as I mentioned earlier.

Rating: I’ll be doing this book an injustice if I condemn it all the way, especially in view of my above review, but there is nothing spectacular about the plot, although the flow of the book was quite natural. I give this book 3.5/5.0