November 2018 Recommended Reading/Viewing

[Coír Draoi Ceítien]

So now we move into November. Only one more month left in the year. As Thanksgiving and the eventual onset of winter looms, so do my recommendations. And I hope you all like what I have for you.

Reading: The Broken Sword (1954) by Poul Anderson

Published in the same year as The Fellowship of the Ring, science fiction legend Poul Anderson's Viking epic is fondly remembered by fantasy fans, although probably overshadowed by the colossus of Tolkien's works. The story follow Skafloc Half-elven, son of a Viking warlord raised among elves, whose Edenic existence is doomed to shatter by the coming of Christianity; in his place among men, a changeling, Valgard, grows up brooding and vicious. Ultimately, the two are fated to come together in the eternal war between the elves and the trolls, the tide of which hinges on a mysterious sword broken in two by the Norse gods, which spells disaster for the future. Told with all the relish and panache of the ancient Norse Eddas, this novel is one of the original grimdark tales, not to be missed by anyone looking for a great story.

Trade: https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Sword-Poul-Anderson/dp/1504054954/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1541044271&sr=8-1
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Sword-Poul-Anderson-ebook/dp/B00PI181JI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1541044271&sr=8-1



Viewing: Howl's Moving Castle (Hayao Miyazaki, 2004)

After an unpleasant encounter with the notorious Witch of the Waste, young Sophie is transformed into a ninety-year-old woman, and her only hope of breaking the curse lies with the elusive wizard Howl, who resides in a walking castle powered by a fire demon. They soon find themselves drawn into a war with another kingdom, and it is up to Howl, with Sophie's assistance, to keep them from destroying one another, while confronting his own dark secrets. Loosely based on the eponymous novel by Diana Wynne Jones and made largely as a response to the Iraq War, this wonderfully animated film keeps up Miyazaki's typical themes of pacifism, technology, and feminism in an evenly entertaining way, sure to delight both children and adults with its whimsy and core messages. Definitely a must-watch.

DVD: https://www.amazon.com/Howls-Moving-Castle-Christian-Bale/dp/B074121MFT/ref=tmm_dvd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1541044303&sr=8-2
Blu-Ray: https://www.amazon.com/Howls-Moving-Castle-Blu-ray-Christian/dp/B074121MFS/ref=tmm_blu_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1541044303&sr=8-2


A Happy Thanksgiving and a merry fall to all of you! May you find these choices as entertaining as I did.