Connor, Ezio, Desmond, and Altair of Assassin's Creed

From left: Connor, Ezio, Desmond, and Altair

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White Fang by Jack London

This classic tells the colorful and touching adventure of a wolf pup born in the wild that was later raised by humans. He was named White Fang by the first human who took him. An outcast by both dogs/wolves and a well-known fighter, White Fang has the qualities of both wolf and dog inherited from his mother who had previous contact with humans and from his wild, half-blind father. White Fang experienced love and cruelty from humans, mostly cruelty, and he came to see the world of the two-leggeds as hateful and full of competition. In response, he became as cruel as his masters but unlike them he was also smart, adaptive, and strong. Everything changed however when he was adopted by a human who showed him kindness for the first time.

Although the descriptions are not vivid, an otherwise boring look into a life of an animal has become a story of adventure and suspense. At first I was skeptic because I knew there will be very few conversations from the humans and an animal's point of view wouldn't be so easy to write. The author's point of view is inconsistent in some instances and he managed to turn the animal into a thinking being with almost human-like characteristics, but I guess that's what made this book into a classic. The story might seem predictable to readers who have watched movies or read books about dogs or wolf-dog hybrids stories and there are some inconsistencies about the wolf-dog behavior, but this is still a good read.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm (translated by Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes)

When the Grimm brothers collected legends and folktales, their intention was to revive the interest in folklore and its study. Some of these stories however are popularized by the media for the younger audience today. Fans of these adaptations as well as readers interested in folklore will find this book valuable. Several of the stories in this volume might be familiar to readers who have read legends and stories from the region where Grimm brothers lived.

I recommend this classic not only for those who want to read the "original" (this can be argued) versions of the popular stories but also to readers who are into folklore and legends.

Rating: 10 out of 10

The Brothers Grimm

The following are the stories included in this volume (in order):

The Golden Bird
Hans in Luck
Jorinda and Jorindel
The Travelling Musicians
Old Sultan
The Straw, The Coal, and The Bean
Briar Rose
The Dog and the Sparrow
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
The Fisherman and his Wife
The Willow-wren and the Bear
The Frog-Prince
Cat and Mouse in Partnership
The Goose-girl
The Adventures of Chanticleer and Partlet
Rapunzel
Fundevogel
The Valiant Little Tailor
Hansel and Gretel
The Mouse, The Bird, and The Sausage
Mother Holle
Little Red-cap
The Robber Bridegroom
Tom Thumb
Rumpelstiltskin
Clever Gretel
The Old Man and His Grandson
The Little Peasant
Frederick and Catherine
Sweetheart Roland
Snowdrop
The Pink
Clever Elsie
The Miser in the Bush
Ashputtel
The White Snake
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids
The Queen Bee
The Elves and the Shoemaker
The Juniper-Tree
The Turnip
Clever Hans
The Three Languages
The Fox and the Cat
The Four Clever Brothers
Lily and the Lion
The Fox and the Horse
The Blue Light
The Raven
The Golden Goose
The Water of Life
The Twelve Huntsmen
The King of the Golden Mountain
Doctor Knowall
The Seven Ravens
The Wedding of Mrs. Fox, First Story
The Wedding of Mrs. Fox, Second Story
The Salad
The Story of the Youth who went forth to learn what fear war
King Grisly-Beard
Iron Hans
Cat-Skin
Snow-White and Rose-Red

Evolution of the Dragon by G. Elliot Smith

The book is an exhaustive treatise of the creation and evolution of the concept of the dragon. It is divided into three chapters which discuss  incense and libations, dragons and rain gods, and the birth of Aphrodite. The titles of the chapters might be confusing and irrelevant at first glance but the author did more than just explain the various appearances and characteristics of the dragon. He went so far as to discuss every possible theory of its creation, purpose, and models. He even included topics which are remotely related to minor subjects discussed throughout the book. 

The author has a tendency to extend the discussion of even the minor topics because he considered every theory that was extant during the creation of this book. The title might be misleading and the reader disappointed in the writer's style but his exhaustive method at arriving at his conclusions is praiseworthy. His uses comparison and verification to form his own opinions and does not wholly set aside theories without giving each a careful consideration.

I do not recommend this book for casual readers who do not have patience for the writer's style. This however is a great resource for mythology or folktales students and enthusiasts.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Mythology (Visual Reference Guides) by Philip Wilkinson and Neil Philip

Mythology enthusiasts will find a lot of things to love about this book. It is divided into eight sections covering the major myth systems of the world and a few minor ones. The first part introduces the reader to mythology. The next six chapters present the different summarized stories and brief descriptions of the myths from classical mythology to myths in Oceania. The last chapter provide lists of the major recurring deities or heroes across the world, the who's who in mythology.

Not only does the book provide stories but also a plethora of images, trivia boxes, and list of references to enhance the reading experience. These references are helpful for further studies and although the book is not comprehensive, it was able to cover the major myths and recurring themes helpful for students and myth enthusiasts alike. The stories and descriptions are just skeletons of the full-length myths so I still recommend the original manuscripts or translations of the myths for further reading. 

Rating: 10 out of 10

The Homeric Hymns by Andre Lang

Full title: The Homeric Hymns; A New Prose Translation and Essays, Literary and Mythological

The hymns, as stated in this book, are probably "preludes to the recitation of the Homeric or other cantos or are preludes to epic recitations." For a mythology enthusiast like myself, this book is a great addition to my collection. Andrew Lang looks at these hymns and provides background and insight as to their meaning and purpose. It's a bonus that the hymns are translated into prose for easier reading

I don't recommend skipping the introduction and the essays because reading the translations will not make sense unless the reader is already familiar with the stories. Some hymns, although some tell stories, are incomplete. The essays in the first part serve as introduction, summary, and provide the explanation for the longer hymns. I also recommend this book to readers who have more than a casual interest in classical mythology.

Rating: 9 out of 10

The Face by Dean Koontz

Ethan Truman thought all along that he was tracking down a perverted hater of his employer Channing Manheim, a blockbuster film actor. As far as he knows, the six black boxes that were sent were as puzzling as the actor's charisma. Not only does he have to make sense of the gruesome collection but while looking for clues he becomes involved in some extraordinary events which involved his supposedly dead best friend Duncan Whistler. Unknown forces were at work and even the dead are trying to send messages to Ethan. Meanwhile, Corky Laputa's plans to kidnap Channing's son, Aelfric, seem to come together and it seems like even Ethan and some supernatural help could not stop it.

Koontz is good at creating characters with depth although readers who have read a number of his books might see similarities in the main characters. At the start of the book the main character Ethan seemed to be confronted with two situations, one of which are events involving Ethan's wife and his best friend that help the reader to get an intimate look at his past and his inner thoughts. Although not as epic as Koontz's other more well-known novels, The Face has everything Koontz fans love about his books. Koontz is a master at mixing the supernatural and suspense and this book does not fail to inspire and terrify the reader about the salvation and the damnation of the soul.

Rating: 7 out of 10