Dear Mr. Chase,

I have recently started back up reading Tales Beyond Time By: many authors. I have to say that I am not completely thrilled with this book. The stories in it all seem a little anticlimactic. They all have great lead ups but after the stories finish with those there really isn’t much else. It is one of the most annoying things to endure as a reader to read a story and then be waiting for an ending… that never  comes. It seems like the authors get so carried away with their own writing that they forget to end it. It seems like they end it in the middle of the story. The first and  last things you read from a book are usually the things you remember the best, and if you want your story to be remembered as “good” you should give a good impression at the end. As an author you need to have common sense as well as good writing. It seems like the authors of this book know how to start a good story but they don’t know how to finish one. I’m hoping there will be an exception to this unpleasant trend, but I have seen no exceptions thus far. I shouldn’t be criticizing this book too much, because almost every book I’ve read I’ve criticized the ending. I guess one of the hardest things to do as a writer is to actually finish your story. I have noticed this in my own writing. I start writing some novel and I go on and on and on, and then I don’t know how to finish it without randomly ending the story. However, I think and try very hard to milk the best ending I can think of out of my brain. I don’t how much effort these authors gave to their endings, but whatever effort they did put in it definitely isn’t showing. To me it seems like they just randomly decided to put their pen down in the middle of the story. I really would like to see at least an effort at a half-decent ending. You have to give 100% on everything part of everything you do, and writing to me is definitely no exception. You need to try to make sure that every part of your story is as good as it ever could possibly be. As Mr. Chase says, push yourself!

Happy Reading!

ZR

Dear Mr. Chase and John,

I have just abandoned the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy By: Douglas Adams. I am just sick of the writing. I can’ t take it anymore. By the 150th page I am very sick of al this mumbo jumbo. That’s what it all is to me, a bunch of mixed up completely random words blended together in a bland way. I know I may seem pretty negative  judging one of the best books of all time but in my eyes it is no where close to as good as epics such as The Chronicles of Narnia. It’s a different genre, but I still think It should not be regaarded as one of the all time classics. It’s sort of funny, but I’m not falling out of my seat or anything. I have to admit it was pretty funny in the first 50 pages, but that’s where things went down hill for me. Amusement gets boring if it is repeated over and over again, just like this book. I needed something different, fresh, new. That’s why I decided to abandon the book. The  book I have now started is The Hobbit By: J.R.R. Tolkien. I am way happier with this book than I was at anytime with the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. J.R.R. Tolkien uses this smug writing that is so beautiful and enchanting that you want to be in the book. Also, unlike the previous book I was reading this has a plot. I seem shell shocked that I’m finding any plot in this because I’m so used to Douglas Adams’ jibber-jabber. It’s a good feeling to read something where you actually have a remote idea of what’s happening. Sadly, to me this is a new revelation. You probably wouldn’t have been wowed by one snippet of plot but when you have reading nonsense for a couple of weeks you will understand. Maybe my reaction is so great because The Hobbit is also a fantastic book. It’s not like I’m comparing  Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy to some average book. I’m comparing it to one of the best books of all time.

Happy Reading!

ZR

Dear Mr. Chase and John,

I have recently been reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy By: Douglas Adams. Last week I was saying how much I was loving the craziness of the book, but sometimes enough is enough. I am still finding the book rather enjoyable, but I am getting a little sick of all this craziness. I expected the wackiness at the beginning of the story to set up the somewhat crazy plot. Instead the madness has just gone on and on and on. The book has absolutely no plot. It’s like a movie made just because of the special effects. Everything else is unimportant and boring, but the one thing the movie tries to do well is the effects and slow-mo. For this book the only important thing seems to be the humor and senselessness. Everything else seems like words to fill up the page. If you want to write, your goal should be more writing a bunch of words. Your goal should be to make enjoyable, exciting, well written, writing. At some times it seems like Douglas Adams’ goals were filling up the page and cracking some funny jokes. For me that is simply not enough. I have to admit that I am pretty tough, but I still  really like this book. The good thing is that Adams doesn’t right very much else besides silliness. He realizes that the rest of his writing isn’t that good so he focusing on writing the things he writes well. He isn’t so arrogant that he thinks the is the master of all writing and ignores any thing bad that he writes. He knows what his readers want to read, and that’s what he tries to give them the most of. He really tries to milk every little good joke out of one idea. He just keeps on going, which makes most of the book good and funny. He’s so good at writing humorously that he can write for however long as he wants on something and still have it be fun to read. That’s probably why Douglas Adams is considered one of the best writers of all time.

Happy Reading!

ZR

Dear Mr. Chase ad John,

I have recently been reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy By: Douglas Adams. Last week I promised that I wouldn’t write another “happy blog,” but unfortunately I don’t really have anything mean to say about this book. The thing about the book is that it is so wacko that even if I had any criticisms to say about the book you wouldn’t be able to understand them because there is no way to explain Douglas Adams. What ever was going on in his mind while he was writing this book was not something the normal author would think. He really takes the meaning of creative to a whole new level. He writes many pages on  how the universe is safer when you bring a towel. While Mr. Chase is reading The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear (a great book, by the way)  I thought no one could have any stranger ideas than Walter Moers. Well, Walter, you’ve definitely met your match. Adams possesses the rare talent to write about something that he hasn’t experienced. Sometimes I am amazed by the randomness of some of the phrases he uses. They seem to come out of nowhere, like they appeared out of a whole new dimension. I guess this is why he is one of the most decorated authors of all time. His style is so distinct that if you read a paragraph written by him you could tell who wrote it in the first few words. It’s like looking at a Picasso painting. You can just tell who made it.  I think The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is the most unique book I’ve ever read. I guarantee that you could look in the whole world and not find any writing that is like Douglas Adams’. Many books have tried to be like Douglas Adams, but (not to say that they are bad) they come out completely different in the end. I think the reality is that every good writer has there own writing style and that it can’t be replicated. Some people’s styles, though, are better than others.  I think I Adams has one of the best styles around.

Happy Reading!

ZR

P.S. I will definitely try my hardness to write no more happy blogs! This is turning into madness. MY writing must have CRITICISM!!!!

Dear Mr. Chase and John,

I have recently been reading Shakespeare’s Secret By: Elise Broach. I have gotten a request to be “less grumpy” on my blog this week and that request will be granted. A few weeks ago, I absolutely hated this book and I wanted to stop reading it. Now, I can’t stop reading it. Yes, the writing isn’t the best (it’s OK), but the plot is simply amazing. Unlike some books (not naming any names, Scorpia) this one actually has surprises all over the book that are nearly impossible to predict.  In a lot of books there is one ongoing “mystery” in the book that is so obvious that you should just skip to the page where the author confirms you were right. This book is the exact opposite. There is surprises in the book early on and it keeps you on your toes, predicting like mad. Sometimes I’ve completely gotten myself set that one thing is going to happen and then I change my mind many, many, times. The book also has a sort of insurance policy. There is so many mysteries in the  book that even if one is a dud, you still aren’t too bored because you are immediately hit with 5 more mysteries in the next sentence. It is a little like a back up plan. For example, I was having a continuing suspicion of Mrs. Roth, a  character that is trying to help (supposably)  the main character find a diamond. I thought my theory was right when something completely shocking happened, but then the book made that shocking thing seem almost pointless. I have to say I was a little annoyed that the author had beaten me in a mind game, but it also made me appreciate how good the story was. If  I was grading this book solely based on plot I would give it an A++. I’m serious. That is seriously ho good the plot is. No joke. I just made a reading response where I was happy with a book other than Artemis Fowl. A new acchievement.

Happy Reading!

ZR

PS: If you think I’m ever going to write a “happy blog” again (not about Artemis Fowl) in the next 10,000 millenniums you are mistaken. Get ready for me to pick a part some poor book next week. Mwahaha!

I have recently been reading  Streams to the River, River to the Sea (historical fiction) By: Scott O’Dell. My opinion of this book has been completely twisted around so many times since when I started reading the book. O’Dell sort of plays a Jekyll and Hyde role. One moment I’m surprised he only got on Newberry Award and the next moment I’m wondering how in the world he got 1 award. I find that whether O’Dell is Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde mainly depends on how much action is happening. The book is relatively slow, but when the action picks up I seem to like the book much more. When there is almost no action I’m feeling like I’m reading the dictionary, and when there is a lot of action I feel like I’m reading a great thriller. It really can change back in forth in a matter of a chapter. When “Sacagawea” (O’Dell) is describing her perils on her journey I was really enjoying the book, but when “she” was talking about (for almost a chapter!) a game where you try to guess what hand a stone was in I literally (I’m not joking!) fell asleep. The hand game was actually very important to the story (and it may have happened in real life), but I definitely didn’t think it needed to be dragged out so l-o-n-g. I don’t know if  O’Dell actually knew that his action was by far the best part of the book, but I think he should have at least took out some of the boring scenes and fill them with action. No one wants to read a book on playing hand games, people want to read an intriguing story. They don’t care how long it is as long as they enjoy it. O’Dell also didn’t have to make this so close to reality. In real life a lot of boring things happen but it is the author’s job is to find the interesting things and put them in the book, and take the boring parts out. It’s OK if the book twists the truth a little bit, what matters is that it’s a good story!

Happy Reading!

ZR

Dear Mr. Chase and John,

I have recently been reading Shakespeare’s Secret By: Elise Broach. I am taking a break from the Artemis Fowl series as you suggested last week, but I got sick of Broach in the first paragraph. I’m not sure exactly why, but me and this book don’t exactly meld. I think people’s liking or not liking of books is sort of like people’s “taste” of books. Some people like thinks that some people hate, and some people hate things that some people like. I would put myself in the hate category (since this book was nominated for the Nutmeg awards, I guess there is a lot of people in the like category). I just want to spit the words of this book when I’m reading them. I not quite sure if it’s me or the writing is just bad. maybe if I give the book a little more time I will like it more. It sometimes takes a little to get used to the author’s style of writing. I don’t know  about this book though. it’s not like it’s on the verge of me liking it. It is about as far away as you can go from me enjoying it. It would really have to come a long way for me to like it. I think one of the reasons I don’t like is (so far) the book does not have much description. It seems like more of a chain of events than a book.  The writing also seems a little formulaic. It’s more of an introduction than a beginning, and as you can guess it definitely hasn’t hooked me yet. A beginning should suck in the reader and make the reader not be able to put the book down. This book has done the opposite and makes me think of abandoning the book. I hope the beginnings of my stories please readers more than this beginning has pleased me.

Happy Reading!

ZR

Dear Mr. Chase and John,

I have recently been reading Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony By: Eoin  Colfer. You probably know already that I am way too crazy for the Artemis Fowl series, but as I’m on the 5th book (I really don’t know) the old age of my eyes reading these books is starting to catch up on me. I’m not as excited for the times I’m going to read this book. there are some books that are just impossible to put down, and I thought that the first few books of these series were some of those books. I am still enjoying this book immensely, but I don’t have the urge to read it as I had with other books. It is a really a key quality to a book. If you’re not excited to read your book tan you sometimes end up forgetting what’ was happening in the book the next time you read it. When  you’re more excited to read than you really read more. One of the things that keeps a book an “I will not live until I finish this book” book is having a gripping plot. I did not say a good plot, I said a gripping plot. For example, I definitely like the plot of the Artemis Fowl: The  Lost Colony better than the plots of the Alex Rider books, but I found the Alex Rider plots more gripping and they had a lot of cliffhangers so they kept me reading. Books like this are called page turners. The real problem with this Artemis Fowl book is that you feel like it’s an effort to get through, not in the sense that it’s a really challenging book, but in the sense that I just can’t get myself to read that easily. Maybe Eoin Colfer knows that loyal Artemis Fowl fans like me won’t care if one of the later books doesn’t have as many good cliff hangers. I guess cliffhangers are used to get you interested in a book, and Colfer has presumed that anyone whose read his other Artemis Fowl books will read The Lost Colony and still enjoy it. The writing almost seems boring. Colfer needs to put something in that will spice up and rejuvenate his writing.  Something to really want me to read and finish his book. Less loyal readers than me may put down a book if they find it at all boring. I’m definitely not going to put this book down.

Happy Reading!

ZR

Dear Mr. Chase and John,

I have  recently finished reading The Magician’s Elephant By: Kate Dicamillo. In the period of time in which I was reading this book, I did 2 kinds of synthesizing. The first one is synthesizing about the characters and what they really are, and the second being how good I thought the book was, and how it changed over time. This is the one I am going to talk about today. At the takeoff of the book, I was entranced into the smooth, dark, spellbinding writing of Dicamillo. The great writing fooled me into thinking The Magician’s Elephant was a great masterpiece of a book. I thought this until I got sick of reading the writing after 100 pages and decided that I wanted to hear a half-decent plot. Through 25 more pages I kind of tolerated the writing about nothing. After that,  I began dragging through the pages and waiting for an illustration to come along and put me out of my misery. While at the end of the book, came to the conclusion that Dicamillo wrote the story because A) she wanted to mak money, B) she liked  the sound of her own writing, and C) She knew her loyal fans she had won over from writing The Tale of Despereaux would be loyal enough to read the book just because it was written by Kate Dicamillo. Part of the reason for my conclusion was that as the book went on, it just kept on repeating itself. Really the only think that kept me reading the book was that I knew the book was relatively short and I would feel bad leaving 50 pages alone of a book. Really, the best part of the book was that it was short and  it shortened the length of my misery. I know me saying this whole case is hypocritical because while reading the Alex Rider books  I said that if a book had good writing and a bad plot it would be better than a book with a good plot and bad writing. I am now revising my statement into a book has to have a good plot and good writing to seriously be a good book. I’m currently reading one of the Artemis Fowl books, and for once the book has a good plot AND good writing.

Happy Reading!

ZR

Dear Mr. Chase and John,

I have recently been reading The Magician’s Elephant By:  Kate Dicamillo. Although I have only just started this book, my ideas about the main character has changed immensely. At the very beginning of the book, I thought Peter (the main character)  was a lazy, dreamy, slouch of an orphan who was maybe even supposed to be a villain. I thought this because Peter’s master was always complaining about the way Peter didn’t do his chores, or how Peter wouldn’t close the window in the middle of  Winter(etc.). I was seriously beginning to think that The Magician’s Elephant was one of those of few books where the main character was the villain. Peter reminded me a little of the evil step sisters in Cinderella, or the witch in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. What dubious behavior to treat your care taker as if he were your dog and you were his owner. This may be an act worth punishment in the real world. NOBODY would continuously disobey their guardians (I know all parents reading this sentence are laughing). Then, seemingly out of the blue, I started to think of Peter as the hero I thought he would be in the first place. This all happened when I started realizing how bad Peter was off in the first place. When you find out that someones parents have died, they think their sister is dead, and they are an orphan, It’s a bit harder to think of them as the evil one. I also stared feeling a little more sympathy when I found out how grumpy and demanding his guardian was. Just by hearing that this “guardian” was training Peter to be a soldier and that he once was a military officer made me think that he wasn’t the most go-lucky guy to be around. In books, the military officers usually aren’t introduced as “good” people, this is NOT true in real life but when reading a book and coming across a military officer, you can bet that he won’t be “Mr. Nice Guy.” Also I heard the repeated ridiculous requests made by the guardian. If my parents told me to get the stalest bread in the store (as the guardian of Peter does) I would really question their IQ, but this guardian tells him to do this so he can get used to eating what people eat in the military. If I was living with this guardian I wouldn’t be shocked to find out he was secretly feasting on fresh baguettes while watching Peter eat bread as hard as rocks and as green as moss. If my parents made me do this ridiculous shopping, I would certainly not trust every word they say. Would you?

Happy reading and synthesizing!

ZR