L.Y. Levand's Blog, page 20
July 27, 2013
Beenie Breaks the Rules (Free Fantasy Short Story)
"So what's going to happen now?" Troy asked, his whiskers twitching.
"What's going to happen is we're going to get the younglings, and you and Ella are going to forage for food," Horace said.
"Why?" Troy asked.
"You know what happens when you hole up in a fort?" Horace asked.
"No."
"The enemy lays siege. We might not be able to get food for a while, so we need to collect as much as we can, while we can."
"Run out of food?" Troy said in horror.
At that moment, a group of rabbits rushed by to help with the wall-building.
"We're just in the way right now," Kara said, once the rabbits had gone by. "Ella will probably want to get started soon. Let's head back, all right?"
The two older squirrels herded Beenie and Troy out of the clearing, which was rapidly being closed in by rugged walls, and back down the path to the catacomb entrance.
"I don't like this place," Troy whimpered as they went inside. "It's dark, it's small, and it smells funny." His nose twitched.
"It's not that small," Beenie said. "And it doesn't smell funny."
"Yes it does," Troy argued. "It smells like dirt."
"You smell dirt all the time," Beenie pointed out. "How can it smell weird?"
Beenie saw Horace rolling his eyes and Kara hiding a smile. Troy didn't answer Beenie, but walked on in what she assumed was an offended silence.
When they arrived back at the room Beenie and Troy had slept in the night before, all the younglings were up, and Ella was yelling for them to all shut up because she had something for them to do. All the adults seemed to have disappeared.
"See you later," Kara said, smoothing the fur on Troy's head and waving at Beenie.
"You're leaving?" Troy said, his voice rising to a higher squeak than normal.
"We'll be back tonight," Kara said soothingly. "You have work to do, and so do we." After another goodbye, Kara and Horace both left.
"You two!" Ella barked. "Get over here." She sounded in a bad temper, so Beenie and Troy obeyed, joining the throng around the small white rabbit, who was twitching with irritation by this time.
"All right," Ella said "BE QUIET!"
The chatter stopped abruptly, and every eye turned toward Ella, who continued speaking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"We have a job to do this morning," she said. "Each of you is going to be assigned a buddy, and you will stick together. Everyone understand?" there was a chorus that was, in general, what she was wanting to hear, so she went on. "Your job will be to find anything edible that you can bring back to the catacombs. You are to stay away from any place that's known to be gnome controlled, and be back by midday. Any questions?"
The silence was so profound that none of the younglings dared break it.
"All right, then. Let's go."
Ella led the way out of the room, and back toward the exit. At the mouth of the tunnel, there were two other rabbits, one white like Ella, and one gray, who were handing baskets to everyone as they stepped out.
"Choose your partner," Ella said.
There was a shuffle as everyone tried to find their friends, and a few arguments broke out. But the arguments were solve quickly when Ella hopped over. Beenie grabbed the tip of Troy's tail so they wouldn't be separated, and when Ella returned to the front, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Don't go too far!" Ella said. "And remember, back by midday."
She dismissed them with a wave of her paw, and they all trickled away, huddling close together and talking quietly.
Beenie and Troy walked off together, Beenie swinging her basket from one wrist. She looked over her shoulder to see if Ella was watching, and then darted behind a tree.
"Beenie," Troy protested. "What are you doing?"
"Come on!" Beenie said, waving him over. He checked for Ella, too, before joining her behind the tree.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"I want to go back to the gnome's tree," she said.
"What?" Troy squawked. "Beenie, are you crazy?"
"No," she persisted stubbornly. "I want to make sure we actually broke that thing."
"But they'll be looking for us," Troy said. "And Ella told us to stay away."
"I want to see," Beenie said.
There was a moment of silence as Troy stared at her, whiskers and tail twitching in tandem. Beenie stared him down, waiting.
"Fine," he sighed. "I give up. Let's go."
"What's going to happen is we're going to get the younglings, and you and Ella are going to forage for food," Horace said.
"Why?" Troy asked.
"You know what happens when you hole up in a fort?" Horace asked.
"No."
"The enemy lays siege. We might not be able to get food for a while, so we need to collect as much as we can, while we can."
"Run out of food?" Troy said in horror.
At that moment, a group of rabbits rushed by to help with the wall-building.
"We're just in the way right now," Kara said, once the rabbits had gone by. "Ella will probably want to get started soon. Let's head back, all right?"
The two older squirrels herded Beenie and Troy out of the clearing, which was rapidly being closed in by rugged walls, and back down the path to the catacomb entrance.
"I don't like this place," Troy whimpered as they went inside. "It's dark, it's small, and it smells funny." His nose twitched.
"It's not that small," Beenie said. "And it doesn't smell funny."
"Yes it does," Troy argued. "It smells like dirt."
"You smell dirt all the time," Beenie pointed out. "How can it smell weird?"
Beenie saw Horace rolling his eyes and Kara hiding a smile. Troy didn't answer Beenie, but walked on in what she assumed was an offended silence.
When they arrived back at the room Beenie and Troy had slept in the night before, all the younglings were up, and Ella was yelling for them to all shut up because she had something for them to do. All the adults seemed to have disappeared.
"See you later," Kara said, smoothing the fur on Troy's head and waving at Beenie.
"You're leaving?" Troy said, his voice rising to a higher squeak than normal.
"We'll be back tonight," Kara said soothingly. "You have work to do, and so do we." After another goodbye, Kara and Horace both left.
"You two!" Ella barked. "Get over here." She sounded in a bad temper, so Beenie and Troy obeyed, joining the throng around the small white rabbit, who was twitching with irritation by this time.
"All right," Ella said "BE QUIET!"
The chatter stopped abruptly, and every eye turned toward Ella, who continued speaking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"We have a job to do this morning," she said. "Each of you is going to be assigned a buddy, and you will stick together. Everyone understand?" there was a chorus that was, in general, what she was wanting to hear, so she went on. "Your job will be to find anything edible that you can bring back to the catacombs. You are to stay away from any place that's known to be gnome controlled, and be back by midday. Any questions?"
The silence was so profound that none of the younglings dared break it.
"All right, then. Let's go."
Ella led the way out of the room, and back toward the exit. At the mouth of the tunnel, there were two other rabbits, one white like Ella, and one gray, who were handing baskets to everyone as they stepped out.
"Choose your partner," Ella said.
There was a shuffle as everyone tried to find their friends, and a few arguments broke out. But the arguments were solve quickly when Ella hopped over. Beenie grabbed the tip of Troy's tail so they wouldn't be separated, and when Ella returned to the front, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Don't go too far!" Ella said. "And remember, back by midday."
She dismissed them with a wave of her paw, and they all trickled away, huddling close together and talking quietly.
Beenie and Troy walked off together, Beenie swinging her basket from one wrist. She looked over her shoulder to see if Ella was watching, and then darted behind a tree.
"Beenie," Troy protested. "What are you doing?"
"Come on!" Beenie said, waving him over. He checked for Ella, too, before joining her behind the tree.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"I want to go back to the gnome's tree," she said.
"What?" Troy squawked. "Beenie, are you crazy?"
"No," she persisted stubbornly. "I want to make sure we actually broke that thing."
"But they'll be looking for us," Troy said. "And Ella told us to stay away."
"I want to see," Beenie said.
There was a moment of silence as Troy stared at her, whiskers and tail twitching in tandem. Beenie stared him down, waiting.
"Fine," he sighed. "I give up. Let's go."
Review of Water Shaper By Laura Williams McCaffrey
Water Shaper by Laura Williams McCaffreyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is rather short. It only took me one day to read all the way through it.
But it's unique, at least to me, and I really enjoyed it.
The main character, Margot, doesn't belong in the place she was born. She has no real friends, although she has a stepmother that doesn't mesh with the usual fairytale evil stepmother. This woman helps Margot to escape. Margot goes with a king who's visiting from his home by the sea, and tells her she's one of the few who has 'water in her blood.'
On the way back to his city, Margot agrees to become the wife of this king. While in the city and preparing for their wedding, Margot uses her knowledge of water to help the people. But she doesn't tell her husband-to-be that her knowledge hasn't come from water in her blood, but from a book that came from her mother.
Water Shaper tells the story of a young woman who belongs nowhere, and begins her adventures by wanting to be loved and accepted. The story ends with her knowledge that she is unlike everyone around her, and she doesn't really belong anywhere.
It's not a typical happily-ever-after story, and that's part of its appeal. The ending isn't happy, but it's not really tragic, either. Margot has discovered the truth about herself, and the story ends with her being much stronger than she was in the beginning.
View all my reviews
July 26, 2013
Review of Antrax, By Terry Brooks
**Contains Spoilers**
Antrax by Terry Brooks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
First of all, 'Antrax' sounds eerily similar to anthrax, which is what all of my friends pointed out when they saw the title. Second, I've wondered if Antrax was chosen specifically for that reason. Why? Because Antrax is basically an artificial intelligence that's on a murderous spree because of its programming. Not only is it intelligent, but it's huge.
This book is book two in The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, and continues the adventures of the group in book one. It continues to be both interesting and baffling the way that Terry Brooks can combine magic and science. He does it in the most overt way I've seen in this series (I haven't read too much of his writing besides the Sword of Shannara), and the ending was an aggravating cliff-hanger. That could be considered a good thing, though, because it meant I was into the story enough to be annoyed by it.
Antrax is what has lured the group put together by Walker Boh this far, because it needs power. And it's discovered that it can get this power from people who can use magic. Which puts several members of the group in danger; most notably Walker Boh, who is responsible for the rest of them. But he isn't the only one.
View all my reviews
Antrax by Terry BrooksMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
First of all, 'Antrax' sounds eerily similar to anthrax, which is what all of my friends pointed out when they saw the title. Second, I've wondered if Antrax was chosen specifically for that reason. Why? Because Antrax is basically an artificial intelligence that's on a murderous spree because of its programming. Not only is it intelligent, but it's huge.
This book is book two in The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, and continues the adventures of the group in book one. It continues to be both interesting and baffling the way that Terry Brooks can combine magic and science. He does it in the most overt way I've seen in this series (I haven't read too much of his writing besides the Sword of Shannara), and the ending was an aggravating cliff-hanger. That could be considered a good thing, though, because it meant I was into the story enough to be annoyed by it.
Antrax is what has lured the group put together by Walker Boh this far, because it needs power. And it's discovered that it can get this power from people who can use magic. Which puts several members of the group in danger; most notably Walker Boh, who is responsible for the rest of them. But he isn't the only one.
View all my reviews
July 25, 2013
Review of Ilse Witch, By Terry Brooks
Ilse Witch by Terry BrooksMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
In The Sword of Shannara, Terry Brooks seemed to be mimicking Tolkien. But at this point in his career, he has built up his own world to such an extent that it no longer resembles Tolkien's.
The writing style isn't one I prefer, but the story was such that I kept on, even when I didn't really want to read some of the very long, descriptive paragraphs. I don't have a problem with longer paragraphs, but combined with the style it was, at times, difficult for me to read.
But I did like the story.
An elf is found in the ocean, with a map and serious injuries. He's brought to a place where he can be cared for, and the map is taken to the elven king. It isn't long at all before it's deduced that the stranded elf is the brother of the king, returned from a voyage in search of something mysterious.
The king of the elves sends the map to the Druid Walker Boh, who can translate what the map contains, and they form an uneasy alliance so they can put together an expedition to follow the map.
They gather a strange group, including one of the descendants of the kings of Leah and his cousin, several Rovers, a seer, and a creature known as Truls Rohk.
But through their journey, Walker Boh must outwit a dangerous adversary, a powerful woman who calls herself the Ilse Witch. The Ilse Witch is also after whatever the map has hidden, and is not afraid to murder in order to keep Walker from it, and take it for herself.
I found myself swept up in the mystery skillfully woven through this book, and was pleased I had bought the second book at the same time. Despite the long paragraphs, lol.
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July 24, 2013
The Weekly Quote: On Freedom
"It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you." ~ Author unknown, sometimes attributed to M. Grundler
If you were to suddenly have people telling you what to do, how would you react?
Most people would probably scream "You can't do that!" But the reality is, yes, they can.
I think Americans feel entitled to their freedom, simply because most of us have always had it. But we would rediscover our courage and passion for it if someone tried to take it away.
Because then we wouold understand its true worth, and we would no longer abuse it as an excuse for doing whatever we want.
If you were to suddenly have people telling you what to do, how would you react?
Most people would probably scream "You can't do that!" But the reality is, yes, they can.
I think Americans feel entitled to their freedom, simply because most of us have always had it. But we would rediscover our courage and passion for it if someone tried to take it away.
Because then we wouold understand its true worth, and we would no longer abuse it as an excuse for doing whatever we want.
Review of The Eye of the World, By Robert Jordan
The Eye of the World by Robert JordanMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is one I grabbed at a thrift store one day, because I'd been searching for fantasy, and saw the Tor Fantasy logo on the spine. But I bought it because I'd heard so much about The Wheel of Time. I'm very glad I did.
At first, I found myself chuckling about how similar it was to Lord of the Rings; the rider in black, the group of friends, the visiting magic-user.
But it wasn't long before it departed utterly from Lord of the Rings in terms of the world itself. The writing style is still similar, however, and as a fan of Tolkien was still enjoyable for me.
The Eye of the World is a story about Rand, and several of his friends. Him and three of his male friends are convinced to leave town after an attack by trollocs and a Fade (or Myrddraal) by a visiting Aes Sedai (female magic-user) named Moiraine. They are joined by a young woman named Egwene, and Moiraine's Warder, Lan.
The story follows them as they leave their home town of Emond's field in the Two Rivers, running from the trollocs and Fades that are pursuing them. No one but Lan and Moiraine knows why the three young men are being followed, but they're being tracked with tenacity.
The tale goes through many different adventures, many different places, and with the group splitting up several times in different ways. But it is obvious throughout the book that the three young men are linked, and somehow important to what's going to happen. They all begin having dreams of a terrible being named Ba'alzamon who was locked up by those who could channel the One Power (magic).
At the end of the story, Rand, Moiraine and a few of the others find the Eye of the World - and servants of Ba'alzamon (the Dark One) determined to use it. The Eye of the World is the essence of the male half of the True Source, tainted for years so that any male who can channel is locked away from the One Power by the Aes Sedai so that they can't touch it and destroy the world.
There is a fight with the servants of Ba'alzamon, named Aginor and Balthamel. During the fight the Eye of the World is used, and Rand discovers a secret about himself that could drive him to madness, or worse.
This book kept my attention all the way through, and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. It's clean, it's well-written, and the world has depth and imagination. The paragraphs are, perhaps, sometimes long-winded, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable for those of us who don't mind long paragraphs that are well-written.
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July 23, 2013
Awesome Brownie Recipe!
As requested, the brownie recipe I was talking about a while back. It took me a while to get a hold of it, but my friend sent me a link.
The only thing she changed was to make the ingredients organic and to leave out the walnuts. But I have to tell you, even just plain home-made ones are more filling than the store-bought kind. Enjoy!
Oh, and if you find any changes or ideas to tweak the recipe, please share! :)
Here's the recipe.
The only thing she changed was to make the ingredients organic and to leave out the walnuts. But I have to tell you, even just plain home-made ones are more filling than the store-bought kind. Enjoy!
Oh, and if you find any changes or ideas to tweak the recipe, please share! :)
Here's the recipe.
July 22, 2013
Weekly Health Challenge: Stretching and Punches
The Weekly Health Challenge: Level One
Identify those tight muscles and stretch them out
Warm them up a little first; some gentle walking should be enough for most people. If not, try some knee lifts or jogging. Then set up and stretch. That doesn't mean force yourself to the point you feel pain. Just to the point where you can feel that little pull.
Remember - it's not a contest! You're not competeing, so don't hurt yoursefl trying to do more than you're able.
The Weekly Health Challenge: Level Two
Do one hundred punches
You can choose whichever style of punch you want; just remember not to lock your arms out when you do them. That can hurt you. Do them as fast as you can without stopping, switching hands each time.
Do this three nonconsecutive days of the week, and tell me how your arms feel!
Extra Challenge: Use the punches as a warm up and stretch those arms, too!
Identify those tight muscles and stretch them out
Warm them up a little first; some gentle walking should be enough for most people. If not, try some knee lifts or jogging. Then set up and stretch. That doesn't mean force yourself to the point you feel pain. Just to the point where you can feel that little pull.
Remember - it's not a contest! You're not competeing, so don't hurt yoursefl trying to do more than you're able.
The Weekly Health Challenge: Level Two
Do one hundred punches
You can choose whichever style of punch you want; just remember not to lock your arms out when you do them. That can hurt you. Do them as fast as you can without stopping, switching hands each time.
Do this three nonconsecutive days of the week, and tell me how your arms feel!
Extra Challenge: Use the punches as a warm up and stretch those arms, too!
July 20, 2013
Return to the Ring (Free Fantasy Short Story)
Beenie and Troy stepped into the Ring behind Troy's parents, staring around with wide eyes.
The Ring, which had seemed a quiet, safe place the night before, now looked as though it had been hit by a storm. A very destructive one.
It was bustling with various forest creatures so that it looked like an anthill that had been kicked. Trees had been knocked down, somehow, and been pulled into place like a wall around the green circle of grass. The grass, while still green, had been trampled into the ground by many feet.
The wall of logs itself hadn't been completed, but it was rapidly progressing that way. As they watched, a group of deer in harness pulled another log into place, and it was swarmed with rabbits, who began weaving its branches together with the other trees already there.
There was a great crash that shook the ground, and Troy jumped.
"What was that?" he asked.
"They just felled another tree," Horace said.
"Oh," Troy said in a small voice.
"What are they doing?" asked Beenie.
"Turning the Ring into a fort," Kara said. "It's our meeting place, but it's not really defensible."
"We could have chosen a better place, but Peter is in no condition to be moving," said Horace.
Beenie glanced up at the head of the Ring, where the silver unicorn was holding perfectly still, laying on the grass and watching all the activity with a detached expression. He did look very tired, and as far as Beenie could tell, he hadn't moved from that spot since she had last seen him.
"What would happen if he tried to move?" Beenie asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.
"He might get sick, or even die," Kara said sadly. "He's weak enough here, where there's still magic in the air. There's no telling what would happen to him if he tried to leave."
"That's terrible," Beenie said.
Another tree thudded to the ground some distance away as Beenie wondered what was going to happen next. With Peter as old and frail as he was, how was he going to lead them?
Another question popped up inside her mind, as if it was somehow connected to the first.
Where were the Greater Fairies?
The Ring, which had seemed a quiet, safe place the night before, now looked as though it had been hit by a storm. A very destructive one.
It was bustling with various forest creatures so that it looked like an anthill that had been kicked. Trees had been knocked down, somehow, and been pulled into place like a wall around the green circle of grass. The grass, while still green, had been trampled into the ground by many feet.
The wall of logs itself hadn't been completed, but it was rapidly progressing that way. As they watched, a group of deer in harness pulled another log into place, and it was swarmed with rabbits, who began weaving its branches together with the other trees already there.
There was a great crash that shook the ground, and Troy jumped.
"What was that?" he asked.
"They just felled another tree," Horace said.
"Oh," Troy said in a small voice.
"What are they doing?" asked Beenie.
"Turning the Ring into a fort," Kara said. "It's our meeting place, but it's not really defensible."
"We could have chosen a better place, but Peter is in no condition to be moving," said Horace.
Beenie glanced up at the head of the Ring, where the silver unicorn was holding perfectly still, laying on the grass and watching all the activity with a detached expression. He did look very tired, and as far as Beenie could tell, he hadn't moved from that spot since she had last seen him.
"What would happen if he tried to move?" Beenie asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.
"He might get sick, or even die," Kara said sadly. "He's weak enough here, where there's still magic in the air. There's no telling what would happen to him if he tried to leave."
"That's terrible," Beenie said.
Another tree thudded to the ground some distance away as Beenie wondered what was going to happen next. With Peter as old and frail as he was, how was he going to lead them?
Another question popped up inside her mind, as if it was somehow connected to the first.
Where were the Greater Fairies?
July 17, 2013
The Weekly Quote: Freedom - The Chance To Be Better
"Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better." ~ Albert Camus
True slavery is being stuck in a rut of our own making. Being a slave to what we want, but isn't good for us. Giving in when we know we shouldn't, because of peer pressure, or the urge to be politically correct.
Why not worry about just being correct? Why not worry more about being honest, or accurate?
In a way, this country is enslaved - but this time it's not because of an outside country. It's because we have given up the freedom to be better in exchange for the freedom to do what we want - even if it's not the best for ourselves or others.
We're slaves to excess, to entertainment, to our own wants and desires.
Is that really freedom?
True slavery is being stuck in a rut of our own making. Being a slave to what we want, but isn't good for us. Giving in when we know we shouldn't, because of peer pressure, or the urge to be politically correct.
Why not worry about just being correct? Why not worry more about being honest, or accurate?
In a way, this country is enslaved - but this time it's not because of an outside country. It's because we have given up the freedom to be better in exchange for the freedom to do what we want - even if it's not the best for ourselves or others.
We're slaves to excess, to entertainment, to our own wants and desires.
Is that really freedom?
