Kick-Ass The Movie Book

What I loved about Kick-Ass (and at long last I get to my point) is that it didn't pretentiously jump into the fray. Most other depictions of the superhero take themselves so seriously, I am the legitimate superhero, the best, the original, this is what a superhero is supposed to be, they all seem to say. Kick-Ass was a combination of a good action plot and the real, sort of ridiculous kind of lives we all live. It makes fun of other, serious superhero portrayals and at the same time really looks at what keeps The Superhero alive today.

Which really isn't much more than that desire we all have to do what's right and good, to fight the good fight, and to do it all while looking really awesome and kicking some major ass. It's just that it's all a lot harder than it looks, and goes against our usually overwhelming sense of wanting to blend in, of being normal. 

And so while I could go on endlessly about the superhero genre, do some research on the myths and archetypes involved, the different histories behind each surviving character, I think I'll just stop here. I will leave you with a thought for the day, though, and here I quote Kick-Ass himself: "With no power comes no responsibility.

The Cry of Icemark Chronicles

I like to think that I’m somewhere between “enthusiast” and “devotee” when it comes to the level of my love for the fantasy genre. I’m a great believer in detail, graphic imagery, dynamic characters, and multi-layered plots. I like long back stories and warring empires; I enjoy perilous journeys and inner struggles; I love losing myself in novel after novel like those made popular by King, Martin, Jordan, Eddings, and of course, The Man himself, Tolkien.

For me, The Cry of the Icemark is a tale of a young person written for young people. It’s great for those who want to ease into fantasy and are daunted by the task of taking on Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series or aren’t ready to delve into the detailed descriptions of Lord of the Rings. And for those who can’t wait for Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games to come out on film, Icemark can help ease your suffering.

The story revolves around Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Linden shield (yeah, that’s one thing: Stuart Hill isn’t exactly shy in his naming), Princess of the Icemark, who inherits her jolly old father’s kingdom when he dies in battle during the invasion of the neighboring Polypontian Empire. To keep her country from conquest, Thirrin must ally herself with her ancestors’ old enemies: werewolves, the Vampire King and Queen, and Snow Leopards. The whole thing is part fantasy, part coming-of-age story, and part historical fiction—Hill seems to have been inspired heavily by Norse mythology and the history of the Roman empire.

All in all, as I said, not a bad read, and probably even more enjoyable for younger readers than for me. And this being Hill’s first book, I assume his writing—in terms of story flow, detail, and imagery—improves as the trilogy progresses.

A Game of Thrones: Reader’s Digest

Books have been my constant companion since childhood, and I often go through what I think of as “phases” in terms of my preferred genre or author at a given time. I went through a Stephen King phase, a Neil Gaiman phase, a graphic novel phase, a Haruki Murakami phase, a mystery/detective story phase, a spy/thriller phase, a bestseller phase… name it, I probably tried reading it (except Romance; I could never properly stomach Romance novels).

A few months ago, I recurred to a Fantasy phase—it happens once a year or so. I found myself desperately thirsty for a good solid Tolkien-esque tale, with kings and battles and magic, and a reluctant boy whose destiny was to save the world. I scoured the Internet for the Top of the Pops in the Fantasy genre… and over and over, people recommended a series called A Song Of Ice And Fire by George R. R. Martin. The lists often placed it above Lord of the Rings, which made me look twice, and then thrice; LOTR IS the genre, so what was this upstart of a series doing in the upper echelons?

I bought all four books… and proceeded to drown in Martin’s eloquence. , Westeros a world where the summers and the winters can last for years, it follows the story of the Starks, the Lannisters, and the Targaryans, three powerful Houses competing for the throne. Of course, it gets much more complicated than that as the story progresses; Martin is an incredible stickler for details, at least matching Tolkien in that respect. The plots are thick, the story realistic, gritty, and violent, and the characters remarkably dynamic.

Needless to say my thirst for Fantasy was quenched. If you are experiencing a similar thirst (and if you’re a patient reader; the books themselves are as thick as the plots), I say go forth and read.

P.S. The series is as follows: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords and A Feast for Crows. The fifth installment (which I await with bated breath) comes out July 12. Happy reading!