Teaser Trailer for Prometheus

The Dark Knight Rises Second Trailer

12/19 NYC Weather

Weather Summary:

Today may be the best of the week. A weak cold front coming the west will bring some clouds tonight. But it's expected to come through dry. Clouds will stick through tomorrow night, as the front stalls just south of the area.

On Wednesday, the front will start coming back as a warm front. As an low pressure, moves along it. This will chance of rain during Wednesday afternoon and night. On Thursday the storm will exit the region. But another storm passing by to south could give more rain by Thursday night and Friday morning. Skies should clear out on Friday afternoon. Before another storm system arrives on Christmas Eve.

For those travelling or looking for a white Christmas. Some colder air may be involved with this storm, for some wet snow along with rain. But it's too early to going into more details.

Seven-day Forecast:

Today :  Partly sunny. High around 46.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Low around 38.

Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy. High around 46.

Tomorrow night: Mostly cloudy. Low around 41.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. Rain possible in the afternoon. High around 54.

Thursday: Partly cloudy. High around 54.

Friday:  Mostly cloudy and rain possible in the morning. Partly sunny in the afternoon. High around 50.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Rain and wet snow possible. High 44.

Christmas Day: Partly sunny. High around 46.

Book Review: The Scarlet Lion

Sequel to The Greatest Knight (see link)

The year is 1197, and William Marshal is riding high. Having taken in marriage the wealthy and formidable (not to mention beautiful) Irish countess Isabelle de Clare, Marshal has four delightful children in his life (6 more would come in later years) and enjoys the position of of one of King Richard the Lionheart's most trusted and competent commanders. 

However, his life would soon take a dramatic downturn. After Richard's death, his unscrupulous and power-hungry brother John inherits the throne. As different from Richard as can be imagined, John slowly pick's apart William and Isabelle's lives bit by bit, even demanding their eldest sons as hostages to endure their "good faith". William remains loyal to John through it all, but it takes ever more demeaning displays of prostration to retain even a modicum of royal favor.

The situation takes a toll not only on William's standing within the court and realm, but on his marriage and relationship with his heir. Pressured from more directions than ever before, William and Isabelle are tested to the limits, and failing that test could mean disaster for the entire kingdom.

Although author Elizabeth Chadwick states that The Scarlet Lion can be read independently of its prequel (see The Greatest Knight), I believe it would be much easier to read the books in order, since the first volume contains so much backstory of the main characters. In any case, Chadwick has done an excellent job chronicling the second half of the life of one of England's most extraordinary heroes.  

101 Dalmatians 1961 Trailer

by Justin Stenzler

Why has it been so warm lately?

Since November, we have been seeing more warmer weather than usual. High temperatures, reaching the 60s and even touching 70. There have been days that have been little cold. But more days that have been much warmer. There are number of reasons why we have be warm of late. But they require a knowledge of meteorology (study of weather), to to better understand them all. So I will just explain the top reason why it hasn't gotten very cold here yet. As simply as I can.

Our weather during the late fall and winter seasons, is often influenced by a weather pattern  called the North Atlantic Oscilation (NAO).  There are two phases of the NAO. The first phase is negative. The second phase is positive. Each phase has a different influence on weather.

The negative phase of the NAO, is when there a large high pressure system near Greenland, causing the jetstream to dive over the Eastern United States. This results in more colder days and snowstorms for the New York city area. This phase is also called the Greenland Block. Which you might hear the weathermen on tv talk about, sometimes.

The positive phase of the NAO, is when there is large low pressure system over the North Atlantic, that causing the jetstream to run further north over the Northern United States. This keeps the cold air up in Canada, resulting in more warmer days and rainstorms for the NYC area.

You may of guessed it. But we are have been the positive NAO phase! So how long will this continue?  I don't know yet. So in the meantime, enjoy the warmer weather!

Images courtesy of media.mgbg.com

The Beauty of Music

Music.

The yearning language of the soul.

A cosmic dialect,

so ancient, and yet so modern,

It transcends the desires of the flesh

to achieve the longing of the spirit.

From the alluring songs of the ancient sirens,

tempting the crew of brave Ulysses,

to the modern sanctums of sound and spectacle,

It plays to the view and voice of millions.

Music has, and will always be,

the one constant thread of man’s great tapestry.

Music’s forms are ever changing.

From the earthly rumble of the bass,

to the chilling tinkle of the glass,

this noble art has altered history

and carved a niche all Its own.

Some music is like water,

moving seamlessly from note to note.

As the silver tinkle of a stream,

It brings the mind both calm and comfort.

As the rolling rumble of the falls,

hidden vigor is released,

and wearied spirit is renewed. 

Some music is like ice.

Cold and piercing, It may be,

but always filled with greatest clarity.

As It courses through the body’s paths,

each nerve is honed to fine precision.

Those in slumber now arise,

and sight and sound are optimized.

Some music is like the earth,

with sounds as strong as solid stone,

and chords as deep as the old oak’s roots.

It pounds the senses like a rolling drum,

but grants a boon essential to all.

The mind is focused and full of force,

and the heart now swells with care and conviction.

Some music is like wind.

Be It austere or be It complex,

Its tone is always untroubled and playful.

As the gentle breeze of a summer day,

It brings a smile to the lips.

As the fast-paced gust of an autumn flurry,

joy bursts forth and the dance begins.

Some music is like fire.

It can stoke the passions long and slow,

or call forth a surge of ardor and zeal.

Husky tones ignite the senses,

calming and stimulating all at once.

When the artist pours forth their very soul,

the energy flows like new-minted lightning.

Some music is like light.

Its notes as pure as angel’s cries,

with tones and timbres kind and gentle.

As the warming rays of midday sun,

It drives away the pains of stress.

As the cooling glow of night’s full moon,

one feels joined with surrounding life.

Some music is like darkness.

It could be one of many forms,

from dreadful roars to piercing wails.

It may seem strange, and somehow ominous,

but renders life a vital service.

When one becomes detached and distant,

It jolts the mind back to the fore.

An art as old as humankind,

It still transcends all earthly boundaries.

Whether warm and richly measured,

or cool and light with swift progression,

music truly speaks to all.      

Annals of Archery

1

Born with a head and hair of flint,

from a mother of curving wood and sinew,

this early weapon was a bringer of food

before becoming a tool more sinister.

2

The thunder of chariots upon the earth

kicks up the dust like a storm in the desert.

Missiles fly twanging from point to point,

filling the air with the sounds of death.

3

Homer’s great tale describes this tool

as the bringer of death to the unbeatable warrior.

Flying true from the royal bow,

it hits the one small spot untouched and mortal.

4

The world’s highest peaks border the north

of this vast, great land of rivers and gods.

War elephants change through the dense, green growth,

arrows’ songs cutting through the noise-flooded air.

5

With chain mail glinting in the icy white sun,

these fierce pagan warriors loose their iron rain.

They have scattered enemies to the west, east, and south

by playing their music on these lethal instruments.

6

They came by the hoard from the sandy ocean,

their words spreading faster than new flames during drought.

Surrounding their foes with the very symbol of their faith,

they unleash their missiles as the final gap closes.

7

A time of transition from rural to urban,

the implements of war adjusted as well.

Now mounted across a beam with a trigger,

it unleashes a simpler yet deadlier strike.

8

From the sea of the east to the lands of the west,

these most skilled equestrians conquered the world.

With hard-hitting projectiles launched fast and true,

they surrounded and shot until none were left standing.

9

Garbed in bright feathers and the skins of great beasts,

they descend in vast numbers from their great floating city.

Their arrows are honed to precision unmatched,

the black stone sharpened beyond steel or bronze.   

10

A weapon both familiar and different at once,

it may seem unwieldy to the untrained eye.

Used from the ground or atop a great mount,

it strikes a bold path against the great rising sun.

11

A range of nations as diverse as any;

from seaside coves of the great northwest, to humid tropics down south and east.

In the verdant woodlands and ‘cross the Great Plains,

the bow can determine both life and death.

12

For many millennia it could not be matched.

The most basic principles had the most lethal kill.

Yet even so, it could not last forever,

and was ultimately replaced with a bang and a boom.

13

The bow’s great heyday may be no more,

but in several small pockets it is lively as ever.

From the smallest back garden to the greatest arena,

this tool’s great legacy lives on today.

Shakespearean Tragedies return to the Big Screen

With 2004's the "The Merchant of Venice" and last year's "The Tempest" Shakespeare's comedies have become done more often than his critically acclaimed tragedies. "Hamlet" has been performed on camera many times in addition to it's numerous stage production. In 1948, Sir Laurence Olivier's portrayal of the classic tale was the only Shakespeare movie to win best picture, unless you count "West Side Story," which is loosely based on "Romeo and Juliet."

In 2012, we will see young Oscar nominee for "True Grit," Hailee Steinfeld portray Juliet in a new version of "Romeo and Juliet" also starring academy award winner, Holly Hunter as the nurse. But before the classics are done again, this Friday comes Coriolanus. The buzz here is that Ralph Fiennes, a well known British stage and film actor, is on his way to becoming a legendary Shakespearean director, much like Sir Olivier and Kenneth Branagh, who in 1996 did a four hour film adaptation of "Hamlet", my personal favorite version.

"Coriolanus" was originally a Roman epic, but has been re-imagined in modern times and filmed Serbia. Ralph Fiennes spent three years working with "Gladiator" screenwriter John Logan on perfecting the adaptation. As someone who has written feature length screenplays in one semester for classes, I find it amazing the challenges faced in bringing Shakespeare to the screen. All Shakespeare's plays are dialogue heavy with little stage directions, unlike screenplays.

The trailer for "Coriolanus" makes an epic appearance. Mr. Fiennes says that he plans to do "Antony and Cleopatra" next, which will have to compete with another "Cleopatra" movie starring Angelina Jolie, whom I think of as a modern Elizabeth Taylor. The success of Coriolanus will determine the outcome of Shakespeare's continued box office success. It opens this friday in New York and Los Angeles and expands nationwide on January 12th. I can't wait to see. "Make you a blockbuster of Shakespeare."

Ratatouille Trailer

by Justin Stenzler

Walt Disney Films - Fantasia 2000 (2000)

by Justin Stenzler

Walt Disney Films - Mulan (1998)

by Justin Stenzler

Pocahontas (1995) Trailer

by Justin Stenzler

(Original 1950) Cinderella Trailer

by Justin Stenzler

Snow White - 1937 Trailer

by Justin Stenzler

Disney's The Little Mermaid Theatrical Trailer (1989)

by Justin Stenzler

Disney's Peter Pan Trailer (1953)

by Justin Stenzler

Oliver and Company - Theatrical Trailer (1988)

by Justin Stenzler

The Lion King (Trailer) 1994

by Justin Stenzler

Pinocchio (1940) Trailer

by Justin Stenzler

(Original 1951) Alice In Wonderland Trailer

by Justin Stenzler

Aladdin trailer

by Justin Stenzler

Beauty and the Beast - Original Release Trailer (1991)

by Justin Stenzler

The Life Of Walt Disney

Date of Birth

5 December 1901, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Birth Name

Walter Elias Disney

Nickname

Uncle Walt

Height

5' 10" (1.78 m)

Mini Biography

At age 16, during World War I, he lied about his age to join the American Red Cross. He soon returned home, where he won a scholarship to the Kansas City Art Institute. There, he met a fellow animator, Ub Iwerks. The two soon set up their own company. In the early 20s, they made a series of animated shorts for the Newman theater chain, entitled "Newman's Laugh-O-Grams". Their company soon went bankrupt, however. The two then went to Hollywood in 1923. They started work on a new series, about a live-action little girl who journeys to a world of animated characters. Entitled the "Alice Comedies", they were distributed by M.J. Winkler (Margaret). Walt was backed up financially only by Winkler and his brother Roy O. Disney, who remained his business partner for the rest of his life. Hundreds of "Alice Comedies" were produced between 1923 and 1927, before they lost popularity. Walt then started work on a series around a new animated character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. This series was successful, but in 1928, Walt discovered that M.J. Winkler and her husband, Charles Mintz, had stolen the rights to the character away from him. They had also stolen all his animators, except for Ub Iwerks. While taking the train home, Walt started doodling on a piece of paper. The result of these doodles was a mouse named Mickey. With only Walt and Ub to animate, and Walt's wife Lillian Disney(Lilly) and Roy's wife Edna Disney to ink in the animation cells, three Mickey Mouse cartoons were quickly produced. The first two didn't sell, so Walt added synchronized sound to the last one, Steamboat Willie (1928), and it was immediately picked up. It became the first cartoon to use synchronized sound. With Walt as the voice of Mickey, it premiered to great success. Many more cartoons followed. Walt was now in the big time, but he didn't stop creating new ideas. In 1929, he created the 'Silly Symphonies', a cartoon series that didn't have a continuous character. They were another success. One of them, Flowers and Trees (1932), was the first cartoon to be produced in color and the first cartoon to win an Oscar; another, Three Little Pigs (1933), was so popular it was often billed above the feature films it accompanied. The Silly Symphonies stopped coming out in 1939, but Mickey and friends, (including Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, and plenty more), were still going strong and still very popular. In 1934, Walt started work on another new idea: a cartoon that ran the length of a feature film. Everyone in Hollywood was calling it "Disney's Folly", but Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) was anything but, winning critical raves, the adoration of the public, and one big and seven little special Oscars for Walt. Now Walt listed animated features among his ever-growing list of accomplishments. While continuing to produce cartoon shorts, he also started producing more of the animated features. Pinocchio (1940),Dumbo (1941), and Bambi (1942) were all successes; not even a flop like Fantasia (1940) and a studio animators' strike in 1941 could stop Disney now. In the mid- 40s, he began producing "packaged features", essentially a group of shorts put together to run feature length, but by 1950 he was back with animated features that stuck to one story, with Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), and Peter Pan (1953). In 1950, he also started producing live-action films, with Treasure Island (1950). These began taking on greater importance throughout the 50s and 60s, but Walt continued to produce animated features, including Lady and the Tramp (1955), Sleeping Beauty (1959), and One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961). In 1955, he even opened a theme park in southern California: Disneyland. It was a place where children and their parents could take rides, just explore, and meet the familiar animated characters, all in a clean, safe environment. It was another great success.

Walt also became one of the first producers of films to venture into television, with his series "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" (1954) which he began in 1954 to promote his theme park. He also produced "The Mickey Mouse Club" (1955) and "Zorro" (1957). To top it all off, Walt came out with the lavish musical fantasy Mary Poppins (1964), which mixed live-action with animation. It is considered by many to be his magnum opus. Even after that, Walt continued to forge onward, with plans to build a new theme park and an experimental prototype city in Florida. He never did finish those plans, however; in 1966, he contracted lung cancer. He died in December at age 65. But not even his death, it seemed, could stop him. Roy carried on plans to build the Florida theme park, and it premiered in 1971 under the name Walt Disney World. What's more, his company continues to flourish, still producing animated and live-action films and overseeing the still- growing empire started by one man: Walt Disney, who will never be forgotten.

source : imdb.com

by Justin Stenzler

Dragon and Phoenix

The day is like a jewel.

Clean and clear, with shining light and gleaming sun.

The golden glow of Heaven’s orb, and wispy white of floating clouds.

The time of Father, Brother, Son, and God, of light of truth and strength and power.

The night is like a cloak.

A veil of beauty, song, and love, enclosing all with rest and hope.

Silver moon and shining stars, the eyes of all upon the world.

The time of Mother, Daughter, Sister, Goddess, protect and nurture all of life.

The earth is like a womb.

Nourished and loved, it brings forth life from worms to wheat.

By fruit and flowers of tree and field, the cloak of Iris shrouds the land.

From rock and stone to branch and leaf, all life buds and all life rests.

The sea is like the mind.

Always shifting, always moving, one change comes and one change goes.

From mighty whale to fragile shell, it is a world of worlds unto itself.

Becalm one moment, a maelstrom the next, this mighty titan is both beauty and beast.

Nature's Faces 2 x 2

Spring

The season of rebirth

The season when new life emerges from the now weakened grasp of winter’s cocoon

The green season

The season of Earth

The season when all that grows takes root deep within the bosom of Mother Earth

The eastern season

The season of the rising sun

The season of plants and fruits blossoming akin, and animals opening their eyes from winter’s rest

Summer

The season of life

The season of majestic beauty, of the wondrous colorful gifts of nature

The yellow season

The season of Fire

The season where Brother Sun extends his golden fingertips to warm the land and bring full bloom

The southern season

The season of energy and harvest

The season where the bounty of the land is reaped, and laid upon the feast table as a trader shows his wares

Autumn

The season of fading life

The season of somber beauty and flourishing silence

The red season

The season of Air

The season where Father Sky blows the scarlet-hued leaves, making them perform their whimsical dance

The western season

The season of the setting sun

The season where the sun begins to bid farewell and his sister comes to take his place

Winter

The season of barrenness

The season of darkness that conceals hidden mystery, known only to the stars of the night

The blue season

The season of Water

The season of cloud’s tears crystallizing like the finest diamonds, and Sister Moon bathing them in her silver glow

The northern season

The season of ice and haunting beauty

The season of solitude and slumber, that can only be revived by spring’s first, soft breath of life

Book Review: Nobody's Princess

If you ask most people about Helen of Troy, chances are the name will strike a chord. Well-known as "the face that launched a thousand ships", this Greek heroine is given a fresh look and modern makeover in Esther Friesner's 2007 teen fiction novel.

But first, a little historical background. Most scholars agree that the legendary Trojan War would have taken place around the 13th century B.C.E., a time when Greek culture as it is popularly imagined had not yet taken shape. During this time (the Late Bronze Age), the dominant cultural force in Greece was the Mycenaeans, who bore little resemblance to what would become Classical Greek civilization. It is in this world that Helen of Troy would have lived, and from which Friesner draws heavily on archeological and artistic detail to craft the setting of her story.

In this first of two volumes, Friesner focuses on Helen as a young child and budding adolescent, growing up in the ancient kingdom of Sparta. Lacking any interest in women's domestic tasks and possessing indomitable willpower along with her legendary beauty, Helen secretly trains in armed combat and is determined not to have her decisions controlled by anyone else. On her journeys, she meets many already beloved historical and mythological characters, including the huntress Atalanta, the hero- or anti-hero in this version- Theseus and the legendary priestess of the Oracle at Delphi.

Filled with accurate Late Bronze Age details (including food, clothes, weapons and art), this unorthodox but engaging version of Helen's story paints a whole new picture of perhaps the most coveted woman in world history.      

New Year's Eve trailer 2011 official

by Justin Stenzler

New Year's Eve

It is the first time in history that they are making a movie called New Year's Eve. New Year's Eve is my most favorite holiday out of all the holidays. That is the holiday that created the birth of friendship. In this movie is stars Robert DeNiro, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Biel, Hilary Swank,

Zac Efron, Sarah Jessica Parker, Seth Meyer, Jon Bon Jovi, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ludacris, Sofia Vergara, Hallie Berry, Carla Gugino, Katherine Heigl and John Stamos. It is about singles and couples that talk a lot about New Year's Eve. It is directed by Gary Marshall.

by Justin Stenzler

Book Review: A Kingdom Divided

Sequel to Raiders from the North (See [link])

If a single fault could be detected with part two of Alex Rutherford's new series, it would have nothing to do with the story itself. I had acquired this volume via the Internet, being so eager to continue the story, but unbeknownst to me, this book was not yet released by an American publisher and was titled differently (Brothers at War). Encountering the "official" version at Barnes & Noble sometime later, I was initially concerned that the plot and text may have been altered for American consumers. However, several quick skims revealed no significant deviations, and the story could now be fully appreciated.

With the death of Babur, control of the fragile Moghul Empire has now passed to his eldest son, Humayun. Almost immediately, however, his treasonous brothers launch plots to claim the empire for themselves. On his eastern frontier, Humayun must combat Sher Shah (another who desires to posses the throne), as well as battle his own personal demons of opium addiction.

Forced in to exile, Humayun wanders from northwest India to Afghanistan to Persia for over a decade, his only comforts being his new wife and the birth of his son, Akbar. After surviving battle, betrayal and the kidnapping of his heir, Humayun finally catches and punishes his brothers. With the now adolescent Akbar at his side, the exiled emperor finally reconquers his empire of Hindustan and is once again seated on the throne, only to die falling down stairs six months later.

Drawing the reader much further into the wealth and culture of India than the previous volume (which mainly focused on Central Asia), Rutherford has painted a colorful and magnificent picture of one of the greatest ruling families in world history, complete with all the rivalries, hopes, happiness and bitterness that would do a Shakespearean drama proud.

Book Review: The Lost Diary of Don Juan

These days, calling someone "Don Juan"could have ambiguous results. The moniker of this legendary seducer may be seen as a compliment, an insult or anything in between. In any case, this first novel by Douglas Carlton Abrams not only shows Don Juan in a whole new light, but, through simple yet passionate innocence, turns the entire philosophy of the Spanish Inquisition on its head.

Set in the Spanish coastal city of Sevilla in the 16th century, the tale is narrated by Don Juan himself, and tells the story of his life. Abandoned as an infant and raised by nuns, Juan worships women as the true embodiment of God's beauty and mercy. Even as a thief and burglar during his teenage years, he sympathizes with his victims; women neglected by their husbands and daughters kept cloistered by their fathers. Now living the elegant lifestyle of the libertine, he finds his way to many of their beds, and receives divine pleasure in merely bringing them satisfaction. His lifestyle earns him many enemies, not least the head of the office of the Inquisition, and he continuously walks a fine line between danger and protection.

A truly passionate and genuine soul, Don Juan refuses to give into the fire and brimstone dogma of the Inquisition, and embodies this spirit in his own words: "As long as desire is banished from the Kingdom of Heaven, there will always be a long line at the Gates of Hell." (p. 113) 

Written with dozens of unique characters- some wise and kind, others zealous and cruel- this multi-layered and sensuous novel brings forth the full glory of Sevilla's golden age. The historical detail is unimaginably rich and the words themselves seem to glow.

Book Review: Dragons from the Sea

Sequel to Viking Warrior (See [link])

Judson Roberts has crafted a masterful second chapter in his already spellbinding historical fiction series. Not only has he expanded the physical scope of the world and culture of the vikings, but his characters begin to display more and more layers to their personalities, drawing the reader ever closer to the sights and sounds of the Middle Ages. Above all, the overriding theme of this volume is the vikings' strict code of honor and morality, and how the popular image of these people as savage brutes is disproved time and time again.

For someone who until recently knew only the life of a slave, its amazing how much young Halfdan Hrorikson has accomplished in a matter of weeks. After fleeing the pursuit of the henchmen of his treacherous step-brother Toke (and killing many of them in the process), Halfdan arrives at the Danish capital of Hedeby, where he joins the crew of a longship preparing to mount a massive raid into the heartland of the Frankish Empire (modern-day France). By proving his service in war, Haldan hopes to gain a powerful set of allies to help him in his quest for revenge against Toke.

However, acceptance does not come quickly, with many warriors and crew members skeptical about Halfdan's youth (he's only just turned 15) and inexperience in battle. Yet with his dazzling skill in archery, Halfdan eventually becomes one of the most valuable members of the ship's crew (and his ability to speak Latin comes in mighty handy as well).

Once in Frankia, things do not always go smoothly for Halfdan (he kills members of his own army and scuffles with one of Toke's cronies), but the most dramatic episode of his experience is completely unexpected. While out on a scouting mission, he encounters Genevieve, the daughter of a Frankish nobleman who was forced by her father into a nunnery (more on that later), whom he captures and intends to ransom. The Frankish perception of the Danes is as savage killers, but Halfdan and Genevieve develop an unlikely rapport, and perhaps their lives run more parallel to each other than either of them realize.  

Odin's Theater

The red sunrise sheds it’s crimson light upon the land. A haunting prelude to the scarlet tide that would soon paint the grass with a blanket of death.

Eyes open, muscles stretch, joints crack, and voices whisper across the silent valley, in prayer of Odin’s wisdom and the strength of Thor.

Food and drink circle about on both ends. Weak mead and ale down the anticipation in every warrior’s heart, and stale bread and meat fuel their blood with lust.

Steel and iron glint everywhere under the new sun’s fingers. Swords, spears, and axes keen for life, and the links of every brynie, newly polished, shine like silver.

Ranks begin to form like the marching of ants. Shields lock, spears extend, and bow strings tighten, ready to seek the blood of foes and snatch the life from their breath.

The lull before battle is like the calm before Thor’s rage splits the heavens. Men are silent, deep in contemplation, awaiting the glorious reward every warrior desires.

Without warning, the eastern sky darkens as an arrow storm pierces the calm and falls like deadly rain upon the western ranks. First blood sprays the ground in streams of steel and scarlet.

The western ranks respond in kind, loosing their steel-tipped hail toward the sun. Soon the whisper of death entices the crows, anticipating the feast that is sure to follow.

The rain of death ceases and the sky grows clear and empty. Then, like the fury of the sea battering the wooden hull of a longship, the warriors merge and reap a bloody harvest inside the chaos.

Like fire consuming a forest of oak, iron keens for space and life. Slash of sword, crush of axe, thrust of spear, and pierce of arrow ravage mail, flesh and bone alike.

The sun passes it’s midday course, and lust for blood only increases. Fathers lose sons, sons lose fathers, and Odin watches all from his eye of wisdom.

As the sun begins it’s descent beyond the sea, bodies of hundreds lay upon the ground. The rivers now run with crimson streaks, and the dying sun casts the same shade across the land.

Now, not one living soul marches upon the grass. Discarded weapons and scraps of clothing litter the field as schools of fish, immobile in the sea.

Yet, through the now ringing silence, a noise of a different sort is heard. The singing of a thousand maidens fills the air, and the sun’s last rays become as white as new snow upon the mountaintops.

Sent by Father Odin from the halls of Valhalla, the Valkyries descend upon the land. With hair and mail as gold as the sun, their swords and spears flash like lightning as their silver steeds land silently among the carnage.

Moving among the fallen, the maidens awaken the spirits of the worthy, saddle them astride their horses and ascend into the sky as the moon sheds the light of death upon the blood-leaden field.

Rainbow Bifrost quivers as the horse’s hooves streak across the bridge, through the great plains of Asgard, to the doors of Vahalla itself.

The doors fly open with a mighty crash, and a cheer of equal magnitude welcomes the warriors to join the revelry.

Tables by the thousands are laden with oaten loaves, roasted joints, and mead flowing endlessly from silver flagons.

When the feasting and music draws to a close, the warriors take to their beds, each warmed by maidens both beautiful and willing.

The battles for land, power, and honor have come to an end on Midgard, but the true battles, the battles purely for pleasure, have yet to begin.

Book Review: The Greatest Knight

Sometimes in life and often completely at random, we stumble onto an item or situation that profoundly affects out tastes, mindset and even personal choices. Such a thing happened to me when I came upon the marvelous writings of Ms. Elizabeth Chadwick.

As author specializing in the Plantagenet dynasty of the Middle Ages, Chadwick crafts spellbinding tales woven through with wonderfully rich and historic detail. One day I saw her book at Barnes & Noble and decided to try it. By the end of that summer, I was completely hooked.

The Greatest Knight tells the story of William Marshal, an English-born low-ranking nobleman who won great renown through his considerable skill at arms, but also through his many years of service to nearly all the members of the royal family in the second half of the 12th century. A model of integrity and chivalrous behavior, William's steadfast character earns him as many enemies as it does friends, and multiple times he must draw on all his strength and sense of honor in order to prevail.

Chadwick draws heavily on both historical commentary and primary source material (according to her "Author's Note", William Marshal was the first Englishman about whom a secular biography was written) to create a story unparalleled in richness and beauty. One that has earned her numerous accolades from some of today's most prominent historical and literary critics.

Book Review: Attila

Ruthless. Fierce. Vicious. Barbaric. These are all words that may come to mind upon hearing the name "Attila the Hun". One of the instrumental players in bringing down the Roman Empire, Attila and his mounted army united warring Hunnic tribes and left a swath of destruction int their wake. But there was much more to Attila than that. In the first installment of a dramatic and sweeping trilogy, William Napier tells the story of a young Attila and how his enduring hatred for the Romans fueled his zealous dive towards conquest.

I am by no means an expert on this period, but certain aspects of Napier's storytelling do strike me as inaccurate; such as the weaponry used by the Roman legions, as well as the premise of Attila's early captivity in Rome (the basis of much of the first half of the novel). Nonetheless, the story is well-told, and the characters very well-developed.

Framed through the retrospect of a late 5th century Christian monk, the story tells of how young Attila was given as a hostage to Rome as part of an alliance with the Hun people. Despising the city and its people from the get-go, Attila eventually escapes and crosses the Alps, wide swaths of country and finally the Danube river to rejoin his people. When, however, he acts against the authority of the king, he is branded a traitor and sentenced to wander the steppes for no less than thirty years.

Richly varied in its plot structure and character development, Attila will bring to life one of the most infamous names in history and cast new light on this unflinchingly brave and passionate soul.  

Book Review: Raiders from the North

In the coming years, India will no doubt emerge as a leading superpower in today's world. However, throughout the long history of this mighty nation, powerful empires, sophisticated culture and vast wealth in natural resources have never been in short supply. One of the greatest and most luxurious periods of Indian history is captures in a groundbreaking new series of novels by author Alex Rutherford; "Empire of the Moghul".

The first novel in the series centers around Babur, the founder of the Moghul dynasty. After becoming the ruler of a small Central Asian tribal kingdom at the age of twelve, Babur is immediately faced with almost constant battle, hardship and conspiracy amongst his own court and comrades. Always on the watch for the rival Uzbeks and his sworn enemy Shaibani Kahn, Babur endures betrayal, extreme cold and heat and he tests the loyalty of his troops and followers to the absolute breaking point.

Later, in his adulthood, Babur leads a massive army across the towering Hindu Kush mountains to invade India. With one earth-shattering battle, he controls most of the north of the country ("Hindustan"). Unfortunately, before the kingdom can be fully put together Babur dies, leaving the empire at the mercy of rivalry between his four ambitious sons.

Filled with beautiful and gritty historical detail and brimming with plenty of wonderfully developed characters, Raiders from the North will delight any lover of Indian history, or anyone who simply looker for a good story.

Book Review: The Bread Givers

Growing up in New York City, one of the first things we learn as schoolchildren is the long history of immigration to this bustling metropolis. One story that captures that essence is Anzia Yezierska's chronicle of an Eastern European Jewish family living in a Manhattan tenement in the early 20th century.

Dealing with powerful themes including ethnic and religious identity, the struggle to adapt to a new world and, above all, the changing views of gender roles, Yezierska's work offers a powerful glimpse into a tumultuous period in New York City's history.

Sara Smolinsky is the youngest of four daughters living on the lower east side in the 1920's Her strictly traditional father spends all of his time at study and prayer, while Sara and her mother and sisters struggle to earn enough to get by. As her father marries off her sisters for his own gain and to increase his social standing, Sara becomes more and more restless until finally, she snaps. Leaving her family and setting out into the city with virtually nothing, Sara is determined to make her own way and, for the first time in her life, live for herself.

As an immigrant herself, Yezierska draws from her own background and experience to craft an emotionally moving tale complete with all the gritty realism and sophisticated plot structure one would expect from a good piece of writing.

Stars of Sea and Silk

From the soil new life shall emerge

The horns of the Ram shall bear fruit

Day and night shall meet and converge

The Rat shall go forth and seek truth

The flowers of the earth shall blossom

The Bull shall be slaughtered for meat

The light of the sun shall grow awesome

The Ox shall be harnessed for wheat

A rainbow shall bloom from a sea of brown

The Twins shall compete with sword and fist

The sun shall reach its highest crown

The Tiger’s fur gleaming from tail to wrist

Fire and air shall meet and unite

The Crab shall scuttle ‘neath the moon’s wax and wane

Evening is pierced by spears of light

The Hare shall brood and give each one a name

Summer has begun its downward path

The Lion prances and protects at will

The sun unleashes its final wrath

The Dragon is fearsome, but shall not kill

Leaves are shedding their emerald skin

Last of the flowers wreath the Virgin’s hair

Women shall greet each other as kin

The Snake keeps wisdom, but still, beware

The air shall cool and leaves will fall

The Scales will balance day and night

Flowers give in to slumber’s call

The Horse shall gallop with all its might

Winter is rapping at autumn’s door

The Scorpion is all of greed and death

The frost has enclosed the forest floor

The Sheep is peaceful to its very last breath

The tears of heaven turn cold and white

The Centaur shall nock and raise his bow

The grip on nature becomes strong and tight

The Monkey shall leap between to and fro

Garlands of holly reside and abound

Land and sea unite in the Goat

The sun shall be deepest below the ground

The Rooster’s feathers like a rainbow coat

The hold of winter begins to slack

The Bearer of Water fills her bowl

Refreshment coaxes the sunlight back

The Dog keeps watch from the grassy knoll

The arrow of spring shall pierce winter’s mail

The Fish shall swim and spawn once more

Heaven’s dagger shall meet nature’s grail

Strength and honor is the heart of the Boar

Book Review: Viking Warrior

I first came across The Strongbow Saga seemingly a random. It was the summer of 2006 and I was working as an intern at the American Museum of Natural History. One day I was browsing at Barnes & Noble and saw this title on the teen fiction shelf. It looked interesting, so I decided to buy it. By the time I finished it (which wasn't long, I assure you), I was already hankering for more. Filled with painstakingly researched and accurate historical detail, Judson Roberts' masterful storytelling completely dispels popular stereotypes of the vikings and their world.

The story centers around the character Halfdan, the illegitimate son of Hrorik, a Danish chieftain, and Deirdru, an Irish princess captured by Hrorik several years before. Having lived all his life as a slave, Halfdan is acknowledged by Hrorik on his deathbed as his legitimate son. Halfdan is then trained in the arts of war by Hrorik's son Harald, who is perfectly happy to love Halfdan as his own brother. However, when dispute over a land inheritance arises between Halfdan and Toke, Hrorik's stepson, the wheels of fate are slammed into motion.

While visiting his inherited lands with Harald, Halfdan and the entire estate are attacked at night by Toke and his men, and nearly everyone is brutally slaughtered. Only Halfdan survives, and swears an oath of vengeance on Toke and all his followers.

For anyone interested in the world of the vikings, visit Mr. Roberts' websites:

http://www.judsonroberts.com/

http://strongbowsaga.com/ 

 

Heaven's Bridge

As pure as a shower of morning snow,

this milky hue is the sum of the parts.

Like pearls and ivory, shining bright,

or feathered swans and blooming lilies,

it is a shade that encompasses all.

The rosy arch is first in line,

like the gleaming jewels of Hades’ fruit,

or the feathered cuirass of spring’s first herald.

The product of both birth and battle

lends its hue, but not its hate.

A tiger’s tail unmarked by stripes,

it glows above like an autumn sunset.

Shining amber from end to end,

its pumpkin hue lights up the sky.

Eternal fire of peace and hope.

Heaven’s lantern joins the fold,

like fields of ripened wheat and barley,

or a tawny lion amongst the daffodils.

Gleaming like the finest gold,

this honeyed light is warm and tranquil.

Jade and emerald adorn the center,

like the resplendent feathers of the quetzal.

Yang to the yin of the sacred serpent.

A single, long, unending vine,

kissed with the glaze of young tree’s locks.

Shining like plumes of bluebell flame,

the sky is greater than life and thought.

Turquoise mirror of Ulmo’s realm,

this natural beauty surrounds us all.

Its aqua hue is pure and perfect.

The ocean’s richness spans the heavens,

like the shining cloak of Mother Virgin,

or the downy feathers of the peacock.

Lapis lazuli adorns the Goddess.

Midnight sky strewn bright with stars.

This royal mantle completes the range,

like the shining skin of ripened plums,

or heaven’s dew in an amethyst goblet.

A flower in color and in name,

it is a hue both rich and regal.

Although distinct from one another,

these many hues are meant to join.

From the road to Valhalla to Yahweh’s oath,

they bring together the best of life,

and form a whole that shines for all.

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