7 Oct 2008

Books




Other favourites My Nora Roberts' collection




My book stash has really depleted so nothing to do but get Sara's books to read. She left her Vampire series - Twilight, Eclipse,New Moon and Break of Dawn by Stephanie Meyers. Quite interesting but its fairly close to LJ Smith's Circle Midnight Books. Hmmm maybe LJ Smith is better in the characterization - her women characters are stronger, not so wimpy as Meyer's. The story line isn't that far away but I still don't like the woman protaganist - Bella. Edward the male protagonist is not too bad. However, the books are engrossing as a whole. Not bad for a fantasy. A bit long winded though. I'm sure there are many parts that can be taken out or shortened.
I'm waiting for Nora Robert's final part of the Blood Brothers' trilogy, The Pagan Stone. This trilogy is quite scary and should thrill adventure story lovers and those who love fantasy.
Wonder how it'll end.


I've also been reading a few other blogs - some as mentioned in the Blogs of note and some as I found them while travelling through other blogs. Irshad's blog is about the Islamic revolution - progress and the Muslim women, tradition versus religion and so on. I agree with some of the things she says but reserve the right to disagree with some other things she has said about Islam and about the Muslim in general. I know that sometimes some Muslims are real hypocrites - either they are hypocrites knowingly or unknowingly I'm not sure. Only Allah knows what they are. But to me, the real Muslim is not what you show the world but what you are inside. Whether you cover your hair (for the Muslim woman) or wear the jubah and keep a beard, and look pious... well that is just the outside, the form. And that is easier to show - the more difficult is being a true Muslim inside and out. One who does not speak false, who appreciates all that Allah has created , not just what he perceives is Islamic in nature but every creature - big or small, poor or rich, good or bad. A true believer would never kick a dog just because we cannot touch it when its wet, or refuse to give alms when no one is looking or throw rubbish over the fence " because it is not in our compound". I have known some Muslims who are bigots and some who are liberal and progressive. I don't think it is anything about Islam the religion but the person himself. If a Christian is found to be a bigot and a hypocrite, do we call him a Christian hypocrite or a Christian bigot? Do we condemn his religion? If a Buddhist or a Hindu does something wrong, do we condemn the religion? No, right? So why do we keep condemning Muslims as bigots, hypocrites or terrorists? I think that is the person that is doing whatever it is he or she is doing. Condemn the person, not the religion.

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