Book critics

We love to be entertained and enjoy a good story. Story telling has been a part of human life dating back to cave drawings. In this modern age the mass enjoy story telling through movies and TV. Somehow recently I am disappointed with unoriginal lame movies/TV shows. You really know when they ran out of ideas when the best movie (in my opinion) is a newer version of a stories being told decades ago e.g Transformers, Batman, Harry Porter, Xmen, Star Trek etc.

Due to my big appetite on unique stories, I turned to books a couple of months back. I have always enjoyed reading but was kinda slow on it for the past few years due to the young kids (you can always blame it on the kids). The only bad thing I hate about reading is after spending a lot of time on it, I get really frustrated if the story isn't just good enough. So here is my take on the books I read (personal opinion saje) so that you will know what to expect cause you cant really trust a professional critic (their limited to ethics and all that):

1. Twilight Saga (4 books) - If your into romance, its great but a little repetitive. Forbidden love, unconditional sacrifice and all that. Suck you into an imaginary vampire + werewolf world but just not enough depth to keep me entertained.Could do more with the legendary creature stories and conflicts and less corny stuff.
2. Pillars of the Earth and World Without End by Ken Follett - Amazingly great books. Its very long but keeps you entertained throughout. You will feel like you were there cause its very detailed and tells the story from various version of the characters (the bad guy sometimes doesn't seem all that bad when the author tells it in his point of view). A lot of politic manipulation, scheming, power abuse and stuff like that. Gives hope and disappointments in life. Another great thing, it doesn't have any loose ends.
   
3. The Alchemist - People say its a great book. I just don't see it. I feel like I wasted my time and energy on it. They story doesn't have substance. They say double meaning and spiritual effect and all that. I think its bullsh!t and full of pretense. Well you can say anything that. Example "1 Malaysia" - Najib says the meaning is this and that but go askLim Kit Siang or Karpal Singh. I bet they have another take on it.
4. Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - What a letdown. Failed to live up to 'Angel and Demons' and 'Da Vinci Code'. It was even worse than 'Digital Fortress'. Ending sucked big time and stupid. It had 133 chapters and maybe one third of it is unnecessary . The only good thing was it had really interesting facts a puzzle. He just failed to make a story around it.I emphasize the ending is stupid.
5. The Kite Runner - Absolutely lovedd ittt. I am writing this entry duly cause of it. Had to tell about how it intrigues me. Its all about honor, comradeship, family responsibility, enduring hardship, redemption and all honorably manly stuff which i think why I liked it a lot.. (yes I try my very best to be an honorable man (God willing) and its very important for me). It hits the bulls eye with a saying "All men wants to be admired by his children and all children wants their father to admire to".

So I hope others will also give inputs and suggestions on other good books. I for one suggest Kite Runner and Pillars of the Earth. I end this entry by quoting my teachers "Jadikanlah membaca itu amalan kita/Make reading a culture"

ps.. Thank you K and Amy for lending us books. I think books are just too expensive here but thats another chapter

My take on the Twilight frenzy

Disclaimer (as usual) : I'm being very blunt and tactless. True fans of twilight please dont read this.

I read the whole saga... 4 books: twilight, new moon, eclipse, breaking dawn. Funny right for a man. I dont know any other man that reads twilight... in fact not a lot of other man i know read books. Yeah i might get teased for this but i had a sincere motive for doing so.. my wife was realllllyy intttoo it together with most young women that reads it. They go gogo-gaga over Edward Cullen or Jacob. So in trying to be a better lover to the wife i wanted to read and try to emulate a few traits so that she would love me more. Always get into the minds of the people around you... not in a manipulating way but just to know them better. I'm always sincere in my motives...

First of all, it didnt take me long to finish it all.. maybe 3-4 weeks for the 4 books which is relatively fast for me. Maybe you think because its a really good book that i can't put down... but in truth i was skipping most of the lovely dovey mushy gooey chummy stuff. The intention was to learn the lovely dovey mushy gooey chummy stuff but it was just too repetitive and kinda cheesy in reality. I know because i tried to be all that but the wife thought that i was more being sarcastic than authentic. Its just too cheesy to pull it off in real life. Imagine in every single sentence you have to show affections. So thats about half the book already, hence the speed reading. All the plots was too simple in my opinion, i can tell u the whole story in 10 minutes.. especially the first book which might take me only a minute

So lessons i learned (this is really biased and exaggerating but in good humor, stop reading if it offends you, and im always up for arguments):

1. Always show affection and make the women feelings come first even though there is war, millions of live is at stake, doomsday etc etc. The world always has problems so everything has to wait until she says its ok. Example: Bella asked Edward to stay even though he can help save lives of many and bla bla blaaa..
   
2. When the girl likes you, whatever you do they will always interpret into something sweet while if their not into you whatever you do rarely is right. Example: Edward stalking Bella while she sleeps without her permission is crazy romantic, someone else might just get shot instead.
   
3. Sacrifices is romantic. Example: Edward offers Jacob to impregnate Bella because he cant - A big NO for most people but it shows sacrificing. No pain no gain in love irrelevant of morals.
4. Women love gifts especially surprised gifts. They normally say they dont want any but thats a lie. The more unique the gifts the better. Example: Too many gifts for bella, but i cant recall she giving anything to anybody that is of significance.
   
5. When the women wants something.. they are very determined. Can or cannot is a different issue. The massive impact is also irrelevant. The important thing is they want what they want. Example: Bella wants to be a vampire, everybody is against it and just plain bad decision but whatever as long as she gets it.
   
6. Listen to whatever she has to say and do all her bidding. Yes its impossible with all the whining and illogical requests but what to do. When in love, your a slave to your lover (sometimes its lopsided). Example: Edward does everything what Bella wants, what a pushover but girls find it romantic. Sometimes i think they just want us to be their machai for free as gesture of true love.. .yeah right.
   

I thought i had a few other points but i forgot cause this entry was initially written a few weeks ago. i delayed it because the wife was against it because me doing so somehow spoils it all for her. A good friend of mine taught me its easier to seek forgiveness rather than consent.

ps.. i'm sorry dear. hahahahah i love u nonetheless.