Hello again! 

I know it's hard to believe, but this blog is not dead. Not yet anyway. Today I'll tell you something about books – I gather that talking about books will be easier for me than actually reviewing, but don't worry some reviews (Gaiman, Huff, Lee, Flewelling, Clare) will finally come. Today just few words about books in general.

I am a reader obviously, but as many of you I am a reader because of this one, particular book. This one, which introduced me to the world of words and kindly opened the door for me. This was, honestly (as it is the first book, I remember choosing by myself, without parental guidance or order) was Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R Tolkien. I was in fourth grade, I believe and the Fellowship Of The Rings was about to hit the cinemas. And here was I, ten years old still believing in elves and still remembering old stories told by Grandfather (who read to me, re-discovered later, Karol May's books – wonders of Wild West were known to me, and I was dreaming about meeting Vinnetou and Old Shatterhand, but this is another story), in the midst of the greatest discovery of my life.

I went to the movie and I saw the story, I fell in love with images implanted in my head, with mysterious valley of Rivendell, with wisdom of Elrond and Galadriel, I dreamt about picking up sword and fighting beside Aragorn and Gimli, and I cried when Boromir died. I wished back then, that those stories could be true – and that I'd be able to meet them all. And here comes books given to me for birthday present – and that's where the story really has its beginning. Because showed me that all of them – brave Aragorn, proud Boromir, wise Gandalf, loyal hobbits and all of them are true and I can meet them anytime I want. I discovered roads on which I still travel from time to time (15 re-reads so far and still counting!), I've met friends I always dreamt to have, I had adventures that no one else in my classroom had and I just get lost in the world of fantasy, with elves' music in ears and wonders of never-never land in front of my young eyes. I still sometimes am looking for small pixies outside the window and still looking in the forest for smallest trace of hobbits and elves or even dwarfs, even though I am much older now. Yet books will keep my dreams forever young and so will be I, I believe.

And I don't know if I should write it here, maybe I shouldn't really, cause it's just blab without much sense, but – but maybe it's a start.

Ah, this new layout was made by absolutely lovely Tyler from graphical-thoughts (link under "layout" in the menu) and I'd really like to say big THANK YOU, cause you did an awesome job!;-)

Next review is yet to come, and it'll be posted soon enough - I guess two/three days up to week. Anyway I always considered reviewing books as a pleasure/hobby/something to kill your time with. I never imagined that reviewing could be... dangerous.
I've met various people, some had horribly big ego - some of them hadn't. Some of them were authors. Unfortunately. (And others, obviously, were not, though this post is not about them).

Thing I just wanna make comment on is connected to Anne Rice and her mindless-zombie-fans army. Some of you might have heard about what happened already, some may not. I'll try to stay objective, but unfortunately it is hard thing to do.

Everything started with Mrs. Rice posting a link to negative review of her book - Pandora (from the New Tales of the Vampires series). In my opinion, even though I am a huge Anne Rice's fan, negative opinion was true - Pandora is one of weaker, if not the weakest book from whole vampires universe written by Anne Rice (considering New and Old Tales together). Anne Rice is a gifted author, of course, she knows how to write, create characters and all that... only not in this case, and that is - in my personal opinion - fact. Pandora is boring as hell and it is (together with Vampire Vittorio and Memnoch the Devil) the most boring book I've encountered from her. Even Songs of the Seraphims were better - though I am not brave enough (not yet anyway) to go for newest novels by her.

But, anyway I guess beat bush around long enough, so let's go straight to what happened. Miss Articulate posted a review in which she said she disliked the book*. Worth mentioning is the fact, that she bought well used book just because she needed it to make some craft-work. It happens to be Pandora, unfortunately for Miss A.
Anne Rice posted the link on her Facebook profile (which she does often - I mean, she shares both positive and negative opinions as well as other stuff) with comment "by Miss Articulate is a review by some one who loathed the book so much she cut it to pieces. Comments most welcome.".(it's a status update from 30th April, though I've no idea how to link you directly to it). Comment seems to be normal one, though just after seeing it, I had my doubts. I heard before about how negative reviews make Anne Rice upset and knowing that I had some feeling that this comment is not a neutral one. But I never have imagined how big this case would be. And unfortunately I was right this time - an army of mindless zombies attacked reviewer with less than appropriate words. As the blogger said - she is one, with more or less 100 followers. Anne Rice has thousands.
And of course, one may say that it is not Anne Rice's fault. Well, of course - she didn't ask her fan base directly to squash Miss Articulate, though one could argue if she is blameless as she wants to be.

In my opinion she is not - well, if she'd just posted the review it'd be fine (and it'd be nice as it is not so common to post negative reviews), but I find Mrs. Rice's comment as an example of passive-aggressive one. The type in which the one who said something has still clear hands but... Yeah. There is a "but" in this case.

I was going to post some reviews on Anne Rice's books, but honestly even I've no readers (so no one really could link me to Mrs. Rice) I probably won't risk an attack of mindless-zombies. I am just not ready for Apocalypse coming so soon.



*Review is here, if you are interested. http://articulateandintricate.com/2013/04/25/punishing-pandora-anne-rice/

I've never liked writing first posts - they are stupid or boring or without sense... Seriously, about what you may write, when you haven't even started yet?
Maybe as in David Copperfield autobiography (or so I think, that it is starting this way, I trust in Anne Rice and her research) - my name is..., I was born... blargh. You really wouldn't like to read that!

Well. That is arrogant, I know. This assumption that someone will read it at some point, but I need to made it as without readers writing blog has little sense. And I hate when things I'm doing are senseless...


So here I am and let me welcome you with this silly post. Be my guest

I hope that this blog won't die like the previous one - but I will promise nothing, as I constantly change my mind.

Anyway: welcome. You've been warned.