The main hero character is a strong and gifted woman who is stricken with a form of memory loss. Little flashes of memory come to her, but she is frustrated with not knowing who she is and what her origins are. All she can remember is her name, Ramira.

Baffled in a tumultuous world of elves, dwarves and desert nomads, whose inability to co-exist peacefully could spell doom for all. They are forced to work together to battle the evil Mahn and his minions, a variety of demons from the low demons called Kreetch to the terrifying Vox, who are capable of possessing a body and torturing its soul for centuries.

The Elf Kings, Alyxandyr and Gard, and their royal peers -the Dwarf King, Seven, and the rulers of the Herkahs, Zada and Allad – converge together at the gates of grand city of Bystyn. Together their people find solace in numbers while they prepare to battle the sourcerous evil. Ramira discovers her power and learns that she is not meant to be alone. There is also a powerful seer and the hidden elf magic to aid her – but they all must grow in strength if there is to be any hope at all.

Patricia does not explain things in this novel. Instead, the book expertly unfolds little tantalizing bits to the reader at just the right pace. Quest for the Source of Darkness is a larger-sized book that will take the reader on fantasy adventure for many days.

ISBN#: 141377427X
Author: Patricia Perry
Publisher: Publish America

~ Lillian Brummet: co-author of the books Trash Talk and Purple Snowflake Marketing, author of Towards Understanding; host of the Conscious Discussions radio show (http://www.brummet.ca)

Author: Lillian Brummet
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A fun little story with a good lesson, Zathura is defiantly a must read.
Illustrated in black and white stippling like the noise of a TV the distant remnants of the big bang that created the universe this picture book is a series of double spreads, opening with an angry older brother and a hurt little brother, and a mom who has come up to scold the older brother and say goodbye. The mothers face is hidden only the back of her head is seen as she frames the picture in. She is merely a framing object in this story, a fact which seems to say that parents are often just framing objects surrounding and holding together the world of childhood, but not necessarily in it, at least not in the hyper-real world created by Allsburg.

In the background a spaceship lets us see the interest in space that will lead to other problems later on. The second picture of the book is of the older brother squeezing the younger brothers nose out in the park. In the bottom left corner of the double spread one can see the board game Jumanji.

Allsburg is able to separate the brothers in the pictures throughout the book, through warped perspective and objects. In one picture the older brother sits in a large easy chair, his face warped by the perspective. The younger brother sits facing away from him hidden in the corner in his own little world. In another picture the older brothers body acts as a barrier for we naturally gravitate to his face which is at a force perspective up so though connected with his body is visually separate from it which along with his arm frames in the younger brother still stuck in his own little world.

It isn’t until they are attacked by robots and many other things that we see them connected in the same frame, as they sit at the game looking out to the attacking space pirates.
They connect are visually and emotionally connected to each other as brothers should be at the end of the book as well, as they walk home, the younger brother with no memory of what had happened, and the older knowing exactly what had happened. Though in this last picture they are but a small part of the structure, for in this picture book they are but a small part of the larger universe.

Ty Hulse has degree’s in art and psychology with both with a children’s and a cross-cultural focus. He is currently working to create the site Zeluna.net which discusses Children’s Literature and Picture Books, as will as Fairy Tales.

Author: Ty Hulse
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From The Huffington Post:

Last week, Congressman Bill Young suggested that as the Obama administration closes Guantanamo Bay, it could send some of the detainees in need of a holding facility to Alcatraz, the famous former prison off the San Francisco coast.

On Sunday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi reminded Young that his statement makes no sense.

“Perhaps he has not visited Alcatraz,” said the San Francisco Democrat, appearing on ABC’s This Week. “And let me say, Bill Young is a great member of Congress and I have a great deal of respect for his opinion. Alcatraz is a tourist attraction. It’s a prison that is now sort of like a national park.”

This is a bullshit statement if I have every heard one.  If Bill Young is a great member of Congress or she really respects his opinion then I will personally stand around and let Dick Cheney verbally abuse me (so long as he understands this is abuse season not hunting season).  I am sure I am going to take some heat from people saying, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”  I am fine with that if she had kept her fucking trap shut and said nothing at all about Bill Young.  The press statement should have gone something like this:

“Bill Young obviously doesn’t understand the current condition of Alcatraz or what it would take to return it to operational status.  Furthermore, we shouldn’t be looking at new places to simply house these detainees, we should be looking at either trying them in accordance with international laws and affording them the same inalienable rights we say all men are given by their creator or releasing them.”

Mean What You Say and Say What You Mean

No where in that is anything untruthful or mean spirited said about Bill Young, and no flowery false statements about respect or greatness made.  I could live with that statement.  I would however prefer we be honest as people and politicians.  We live in an age of social media where there is unprecedented support to just be yourself.  I mentioned it on Darren Rowse’s Twitip Blog just this morning how being myself has won me more twitter followers than being nice ever has.  What I would really have preferred Nancy Pelosi (if this is indeed how she feels) to say is this:

“Bill Young is an obvious idiot.  Alcatraz was closed down for many reasons not least of which was it was a financial failure, something we hardly need more of right now.  President Obama pledged to shut down Guantanamo Bay because he believed that it was wrong for the United States to hold people without trials in secret military prisons, to say nothing of star chambers.

If The Republicans were really worried about prison space being available they would drop their opposition to legalizing marijuana and support the commutation on all sentences related to the adult possession and use of it.  They claim to be opposed to big government’s interference with what a person does with their private lives, so now it is time for them to put up or shut up.”

I could get behind a politician who said they were a person who had real feelings and weren’t opposed to telling us exactly what they thought.  Alas we are stuck with meek mouth witless automatons that lack any public passion, no matter how much they actually think.  We live in an age where social media has said it is okay to speak your mind, it is now time for those of us who believe it to tell politicians it is okay to speak theirs.  Just maybe if they learn to say what they are honestly thinking or feeling we might actually get a glimmer of the truth when they speak about policy.

We start with a pretty blonde Chelsie Mardquart and we should have stayed with calling her a somewhat pretty blonde.

Ashley Anderson has a rough start with the wrong lyrics but has a very nice voice that could go far in this contest.

Casey Carlson sounds good and based on this performance I will give her top 20 standing.

The fat hairy chest guy called Brian is trying to do Aretha.  Trying Josh Groban made it even worse.  Security please remove him from the building.

WTF is up with the guys trying out tonight.

Over The Rainbow dude could have picked a much better song.  Von Schmidt is going to hollywood but needs to have someone pick him out some better songs.

Michael Castro, Jasosn’s brother. is the polar opposite in looks.  He says he started singing 20 days before audition.  Simon is unsure about him.  I think he can sing better thn his brother.  lets see if he can stay off the pot.

Matt Brietzie of Oklahoma sounds great.  As a family man i can appreciate the sacrifice he has made. I am glad he is going on.

Jasmine should have stuck to her side of the rainbow way up north in husker country.  Maybe the sound of her voice was because someone had shoved a cob up her ass.

Jessica Furney has a voice and some boobs.  One of those assests seem to be better than the other though.  Simon likes her and everyone else does too.  She is through.

We are an hour into the show and I am ready to go to bed.

Asia and India come out with a sister wrap.  India Morrison gets to go

Jamar Rogers will get to go, but he has a lot to work on.

Danny Gokey, Jamar’s best friend is up next.  His story is rather sappy and sad, but a tear jerker none the less.  His singing is top notch.  I think he is top ten material.

The girls get their moment of WTF now.

Anoop Dasai has some chops and has studied barbeque. Welcome to hollywood, this is your stylist.  Listen to them.

I am hearing signed sealed and delivered, but I want them gone, dead or alive.  Return postage will not be included.

Andrew has two cheerleaders one of who is as large as a normal squad.  He sings My Girl.  Simon doesn’t like the performance.  The girls and Randy all change to no votes when they get his second song.

Asa Barnes the band director chooses the King of Pop and I and Simon think he should have chose a different song.  Everyone likes him.

Michael Nicewonder is singing something original and I have to say WTF.  He claims relations to Hank William Jr, which is something my family just doesn’t do.  I think I am going to stop claiming the Nicewonder clan among my kin too.

Dennis Brigham does Chris Brown a lot better than David Archuleta, but that doesn’t say much for him.  I am not sure wtf they were thinking sending him to hollywood.

There is more girly WTF.

Mia Conley doesn’t impress me.  Make the dog howl.

Lil rounds has a voice and does stevie proud.

Thankfully we are done for another week.  I am going to have somethign to drink and some sleep and hopefully I can get the memory of some of these people out of my head.

“…To the last, I grapple with thee; from hell’s heart, I stab at thee; for hate’s sake, I spit my last breath at thee.”

Yes, I know it is from Moby Dick, but like Shakespeare it is often best heard in when placed in science fiction.

"-People think dreams aren't real just because they aren't made of matter, of particles. Dreams are real. But they are made of viewpoints, of images, of memories and puns and lost hopes." John Dee, in Preludes & Nocturnes.

By Larry Christopher

Fantasy has never been more popular, and urban fantasy is becoming a serious genre all its own. What are some of the best fantasy books for urban fantasy fans?

There is no single answer to this, as tastes vary, but there are definitely some authors that appeal to many readers who love this genre.

Urban fantasy is an interesting genre, as it involves the mixing of the modern and ordinary with the supernatural or fantastic. Some of the best examples of this in recent years include Neil Gaiman, whose novel Stardust was recently made into a movie, giving him more mainstream popularity than he ever had before. Gaiman was originally well known within certain circles for his graphic novels and comics, such as Sandman. Stardust is not quite an urban fantasy, as most of it takes place in the “Otherworld.” However, it does start off in a modern (or almost modern) setting.

Some of Gaiman’s other novels, such as American Gods and Neverwhere are more pure examples of urban fantasy. The latter in particular, as it takes place in London (mostly the London Underground, to be more specific). In these and other novels, Gaiman introduces bizarre creatures into the everyday world in a way that seems plausible. This is the key to good urban fantasy. In this way, it’s similar to horror, the kind found in the best Stephen King novels, where the ordinary gradually becomes more and more strange and terrible.

Another great example of urban fantasy are the novels of Charles de Lint, an extremely prolific and popular writer. Some of his better known novels include Onion Girl, Memory and Dream and Widdershins. de Lint likes to use faeries and otherwordly creatures and mix them with artistic people such as artists and musicians. In this way, he explores the connection between creativity and other dimensions of reality.

If you are a fan of urban fantasy, or are looking to explore it, you should not overlook John Crowley’s novel, Little, Big, a poetic and unique urban fantasy that also looks at what happens when humans interact with the faerie realm. If you are an admirer of John Crowley, you might also want to explore his four-volume series of novels, Aegypt. While these books never achieved the acclaim of Little, Big, perhaps for their meandering and not always accessible style, they are undeniably full of Crowley’s imaginative and distinctive vision.

These are just a few examples of what might be considered the best fantasy books for urban fantasy lovers. This is obviously not even close to being a complete list, which would not be possible anyway, as new books of this genre are coming out all the time!

Larry Christopher is a writer of both fiction and nonfiction. He is the author of the metaphysical/urban fantasy, The Stone of Alexandria, written under his pen name, Lleu Christopher.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Christopher
http://EzineArticles.com/?Best-Fantasy-Books-For-Urban-Fantasy-Fans&id=1834092

The rather complex descriptions of the intertwined dimensions is excellent. The fact that the main characters are children does not have a negative impact as the descriptions are quite accurate. It might help you on the way to remembering some of your childhood feats, if you still can. The fact that he can makes you suspect that he has Pullman has an excellent memory.

The familiar peaceful and explanatory beginning ends early on, a definite plus in my book. The fact that the action in the book is viewed through the eyes of a child simply makes it all the more entertaining, thrilling and funny.

However the reasons for the action seems very vague in the beginning, which can be a downside to some. Although to me this just adds an intriguing sense of mystery to all of it, and there’s nothing like a healthy dose of just that, mystery.

The one thing that bothers me a bit is that the church seems to be the big bad enemy, and I’m an atheist so this is not for religious reasons, it is simply that as an enemy in a fantasy book I find it a bit dull. Again that might just be me.

The characters of the book are somewhat realistic and beautifully described, as well as refreshingly imaginative. The interacting between the characters is also pretty realistic as well as amusing. In conclusion, it is a book that is well worth reading except if you are looking purely for help with your intellectual growth, maybe you should read something else. Perhaps Dostoevsky or James Joyce.

Enjoy your reading.

If this review was useful to you, you should check out Fantasy Book Addict for Fantasy Book Reviews and Recommendations
Ragnar Terjeson Miljeteig is a Norwegian student.

Author: Ragnar Terjeson Miljeteig
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