Botulf's Stone Blog

This is a revised post from my old blog.  The original post can be found  here . Abstract:  Espionage meets philosophy in the midst of absurdity as a poet infiltrates an anarchist guild to undermine its plans and save England.  The thrilling plot clips along within beautiful prose, and unlike many mysteries, this story remains engaging even on a second read with all the questions answered.  The characters are pretty flat, but whether that is a boon or a doom for this story depends on the reader, and the ending might not sit well for first-time or inexperienced Chesterton readers. Content Warning (highlight to view):  violence, scary images, occasional language ——— The Man Who Was Thursday  is an odd little book by one of my favorite authors, G. K. Chesterton.  A strange tale, a spy-thriller of sorts, in which darkness breeds danger, but does not, in which an investigation into villainous peoples drives the plot, but does not, in which absurdity is...

Abstract:  An interesting take on  The Nutcracker  drawing from both the original story and the ballet while expanding into its own story.  The characters dynamics are enjoyable, and Stefan’s coming of age hits well from multiple angles, and there the author does a pretty good job with a variety of themes.  On the other hand, the world doesn’t quite fit together and has a couple philosophical and theological problems.  The author also allows too much sympathy with the villains for their motives, and the push for sympathy causes some issues towards the story’s end. Content warning (highlight to view):   some violent imagery, questionable philosophy/theology, frightening descriptions, magic ——— Well, it’s Advent now, so what better time than now to look at Sherri L. Smith’s retelling of E. T. A. Hoffman’s  The Nutcracker and the Mouse King ? The Toymaker’s Apprentice  tells the story of Stefan Drosselmeyer, an apprentice to his toymaker father,...