I am a dork.

Not a news flash? Eh, well. I just finished labeling the rest of my archives, all those posts that hadn't been labeled yet. Uh, yes, this is a priority for the day, why do you ask...?

Harry Potter Release Party

Last night was the Harry Potter release party. It was the first such party I've been to, let alone worked at. It was fun. I'm sure our crowd was nothing compared to what all the big chain stores were getting, but it was a lot for us. The general party part of the night was fun, but it got really interesting at midnight; to me at least, since I haven't done anything like that before. I worked at one of our three cash registers, selling books for almost a solid hour. It felt like maybe thirty minutes, if that. I continually felt like I was forgetting something, since we were trying to be quick and we aren't yet computerized.

Check if they've pre-ordered, mark them off, verify that they still want the same number of books, explain the difference between the regular and deluxe editions if they ask, calculate the cost of the sale and the tax (I knew it was $26.51 for a regular copy with tax, but I didn't have totals like two regulars and one deluxe memorized), write the sale down (not being computerized, we use daily sales sheets; before we started I thought we could just write it down once and then use check marks down the rest of the column for a tally, but with people buying different quantities and editions and sometimes other books or magazines at the same time, it just didn't work like that), take their credit card, ask if they want a receipt, have them sign or put in their pin number, put our receipt away and give them theirs, give them their books, ask if they want a bag... ask for the next person in line.

Really, it was all pretty simple. It's not like I haven't done sales before, and this was pretty much the same process. It was just the time pressure, and having to doublecheck prices for a while, which were written on a taped up sheet rather than in the books like normal, that gave that feeling of forgetting things. I don't think I actually did forget anything. In fact, I think I did pretty well. I don't think I was all that slow, but I tried not to rush, as the Benedictines advise (and as you have to avoid doing when you're trying not to forget things... not that any customer would really let me forget to hand them their books!), and I think I was able to give each person my attention. Go me. (=

The only thing that really bugged me about the night was hearing a huge book six spoiler for the second time. The first time I heard it (also from a customer), I was almost able to block it out and forget about it. Well, kind of. But a second time, with a little more detail? Not a chance. Still, that's my own fault, for going to a book seven release party when I haven't read the sixth yet. You can't blame customers for not guarding their mouths in that sort of situation. Especially when they weren't even talking directly to me this time. Yeah, I can understand that, although I don't like it. The other time not as much. To me, you just don't go around talking about major spoilers to random strangers, even if they do look nerdy and work in a bookstore. Oh well.

Please, please, don't let me hear book seven spoilers, please... Let me wait and get it in Canadian paperback, like all my other copies... please...

Austenland

Austenland by Shannon Hale

I thought I had written about this one already, but apparently not. Oh, now I remember, I wrote to the author about it. I was going to just add a comment to her blog, but there were some spoilers involved, so I wrote to her instead.

The basic concept is that a woman obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, especially the movie starring Colin Firth, goes to an English resort where women can pretend to be Regency-era ladies similar to those in Austen's books. She does this in an attempt to get over her obsession, which she thinks is sabotaging her real relationships with the opposite sex. The result is quite amusing, especially if you've read Pride and Prejudice and other books by Jane Austen. And somehow, in the middle of all the laughter, it manages to say some good things about illusion and reality, and yet still to be very romantic and satisfying.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a thirty-something woman in possession of a satisfying career and fabulous hairdo must be in want of very little..."

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3) by J.K. Rowling

Another clever story, with much more backstory coming to light and characters beginning to deepen. We begin to see how dark the wizarding world can still be even after (or between?) Voldemort, what with Azkaban and the Dementors. Even Dumbledore can't do everything... And Lupin is intruduced, possibly my favorite character. What a good book. What a good series.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) by J.K. Rowling

Again she writes a good fantasy/mystery/childhood adventure. Even when you know it can't be who Harry, Ron and Hermione initially think it is, it's quite puzzling. But the clues are all there and the story makes perfect sense. Fun, fun, fun...

“‘Ginny!’ said Mr Weasley, flabbergasted. ‘Haven’t I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain.’” Heh heh. "Don't talk to strangers." Heh heh.

And the classic scene...

“‘It only put me in Gryffindor,’ said Harry in a defeated voice, ‘because I asked not to go in Slytherin …’

‘Exactly,’ said Dumbledore, beaming once more. ‘Which makes you very different from Tom Riddle. It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.’”

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling

I finally read this a second time. I thought I'd read it more times than that, but apparently not. Ah, good book. This time I read it very very soon after I'd watched the movie, with the result that the movie didn't seem nearly as boring (since I hadn't read the book as recently beforehand this time), and as I read it was extremely easy to see all the changes they made in the movie, generally for dramatic effect or to shorten or simplify the story. I've got to say, the book has a lot more of the witty and amusing details. One of my favorites was:

"'Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare ... What did Professor Sprout say? It likes the dark and the damp --'
'So light a fire!' Harry choked.
'Yes -- of course -- but there's no wood!' Hermione cried, wringing her hands.
'HAVE YOU GONE MAD?' Ron bellowed. 'ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?'...

...'Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione,' said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.
'Yeah,' said Ron, 'and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis -- "there's no wood," honestly.'"

Rhapsody

Rhapsody: Child of Blood (Symphony of Ages #1) by Elizabeth Haydon

Wow. This was a very good book. You know how authors aren't supposed to spend a lot of time on exposition? You know how sometimes it's disguised as dialogue, especially in Star Trek? Haydon did better at not doing that than I remember seeing ever before, especially in fantasy. I mean, there can be a lot to explain in fantasy. Your whole world is (or may be) new to the reader. But, with one purposeful exception, Haydon doesn't tell you any more than what her characters know, and generally less. You learn about the world as it comes up. New races could easily be introduced in the sequel, for all I know. I won't tell you what it's about, because that would spoil the process of discovery. So don't look at my tags for it on librarything.

There were more sexual references than I'd like, and a kind of silly sexual scene towards the beginning, but overall this was an outstanding book. After I finished I read some of the amazon reviews. There aren't all that many negative ones, but people seemed to either love or hate it, and some of the ones who hated it had their reviews at the top, so I read them first. Then, since they were written intelligently, with some valid points, I thought about them for a while. My conclusion? I can refute every point. (=

Probably their best point was that Rhapsody (the character) is too perfect. She is rather perfect, especially towards the end. And the reactions to her physical perfection could get annoying at times. But this is fantasy, and she's the heroine (in the true sense of the word, not just meaning main character). So, um, big deal. I find it far more annoying when the main character does stupid things that get him or herself in needless trouble, rather than being in Trouble because of confronting Evil.

Some people thought it was a little plotless, but I think they just didn't understand the plot structure because of how good Haydon was at not telling you what's coming. No, Rhapsody doesn't set out to save the world, and no, she doesn't leave home because the Nazgul or their equivalent are after her -- that's not the same thing as no plot. No, the characters don't always explain the reasons behind their actions. Use your brain and figure it out yourself. And yes, of course it sets up for the next book. That's what first books do. But it does it in a sufficiently interesting way -- it's not as though you're just marking time until the next book!

Some thought the preface had nothing to do with the first book, just the second one. That's ridiculous. At first those bad reviews seemed to be intelligently written, but come on. Have you no appreciation for subtlety, for mystery, for unstated motivations? I'd explain what I mean, but again, I'm trying to avoid spoilers.

The dialogue was rather '90's, yes, but in books like this I just assume the dialogue is "translated" anyway -- they speak in at least three different languages over the course of the book.

And finally, there's my favorite complaint, that the book is just generic fantasy. I can see how you'd be confused -- after all, it uses some of the major fantasy motifs, like good versus evil! And you know what? There are even some demons on the side of evil. There's also the power of names, an epic journey, nature worship, um... let's see... beauty... magic, swords (even a magical sword!) and battles... Yep, you got me. It must be generic. Along with all fantasy ever written. Yep.

The Alchemist

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, translated by Alan R. Clarke

This book reminded me (and others) of The Little Prince (a classic, for those of you who haven't read it). A little longer, but still very much like a parable. The language was similar, too, although I'm not certain of what the language was originally like in either of them, before translation. I'll assume that the translators were good though. A simple and beautifully told tale.

The philosophy, now... I had fewer reservations about The Little Prince. The Alchemist had a lot of good principles and a lot of truth, but it was mixed with other things. Humans are made in the image of God, but we are not God and our souls do not contain God. I suppose that's my biggest caveat. There really were some good things in there. Listen to your heart -- that doesn't mean obeying it, just listening to it. Getting to know it. It may not be the source of knowledge and learning, but it's still a good idea.

Good book. Recommended.