The Shadow Bender

"The Shadow Bender" is a marvelous fantasy short story about which I am supposed to write a marvelous review but frankly I don't have the time so take your stupid back link already and move along.  I love short stories as much as the next guy but this post is just a post to get another blog up that search ladder so read your story and enjoy.

A Night At The Bouncing Archer

"A Night at the Bouncing Archer" is a great story full of action and entertainment.  Can the hero get his revenge on his jilted fiance who wants him dead?  Will sausages be the weapons of mass destruction required to save the party?  Can the troll survive his venture into civilization?  Will the dwarves drink all the beer?

A Jungle Spirit

"A Jungle Spirit" captures the idea of what happens when a group of sailors are left to build a fort but not given the support that they need or even the reassurance that they will ever have contact with their comrades again.  This fantasy short story captures the essence of the fear of the unknown and the intelligence and resourcefulness of one who is considered a lesser man by his companions.

The Dancing Bird

"The Dancing Bird" is a great story.  Yes, this is a shameluss plug for a fantasy story.  Get over it!  You all know that sometimes you talk about a fantasy story like "The Dancing Bird" just because you have to.  How many times can I say that is fantasy story is really a great short story.

Calling of a God

"Calling of a God" is a great short story, well worth checking out.  If you enjoy reading fantast stories, then you should definitely take a loot at it.

Ambition's Cost

"Ambition's Cost" is a wonderful short story that recounts the tragedy of seeking glory.  Is it possible to reach a position of power without losing a part of your soul?

Caste in The Cask of Amontillado

Is there a caste system represented in "The Cask of Amontillado"?  At least one author believes so.  It does make sense, after all, that caste would play a part.  Poe was certainly aware of class and race tensions in his lifetime.

How to say Amontillado

I was previously unaware that there were two possible pronuciations for Amontillado, however this article cleared this up.  Obviously teachers around the country should read this, to save themselves some trouble in the classroom.

Suspense in The Cask of Amontillado

"The Cask of Amontillado" is a text book example of how to create suspense.  Montresor tells us the end from the beginning but does not offer us an explanation.  At the end of the story the question is still unanswered but so many other questions are answered along the way that we feel we have been given something.

The Cask of Amontillado Summary

An excellent summary of "The Cask of Amontillado" can be found here.  Of course there is always more to be said on the subject as teachers and professors around the world have been saying for years and years and will likely go on saying forever.

Fortunato

Fortunato, or perhaps more appropriately Mr. Unfortunate meets his demise at the hand of Montresor in "The Cask of Amontillado".  Though he is certainly a fool, he is not unlike most of us.  Poe paints him as determined to meet his doom despite the constant warnings that surround him.  Of course this is no new trope, but it does remind us that our own pride can lead us into downfall.  This analysis of Fortunato is most refreshing.

Analysis of Montresor

Montresor in "The Cask of Amontillado" is one character that you don't want to cross.  This analyis discusses his morbid potential as well as offering an explanation for his behavior that might excuse him from the realm of psychotic.  In any case, his desire for revenge overpowers any sympathy that might once have been present.

Faramir

Faramir is the younger brother and less favored brother of Boromir.  Denethor, their father, has favored Boromir always but Faramir has strived all of his life to live up to the high expectations and demands of his station.  He possesses traits that make for strong leadership but fails to win the popularity contest.

Mood in The Cask of Amontillado

"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe is a great study in the development of character, suspense and mood.  The mood is analyzed very well in this article, which takes on a rather academic tone.  Though there are a few other articles on the topic most do not take the time to speak academically.

Treebeard's Lament

Treebeard has much to face in the new world.  Certainly Aragorn will expand his empire and certianly growth must come.  The questions he faces have been but slowed with the overthrow of Saruman and of Sauron.  Ultimately his forests will suffer under the progress of men.  Neither elves nor anyone else will protect his charges in the new world though the changes have been delayed for perhaps a few centuries.

Theoden King

Where does Theoden rank among the characters in The Lord of the Rings?  He is a king, certainly, but in many ways he is also at the mercy or whim of other, more important, characters.  Aragorn, Gandalf and Saruman all seem to direct his doings.  Even Grima, a mostly worthless person, has his way with Theoden.  One must then ask why he deserves the great honors he receives.  The answers are as complex as the times he found himself living, and to have simply survived and to have done so on the right side is certainly worthy of recognition.

Samwise

Samwise Gamgee was, by far, the most predicatabe of the hobbit characters.  In many ways they were one or at most two dimensional.  One might draw some criticism of Tolkein for his treatment of them though it was very clear that he had a great love for the idea of hobbits and hobbitry.  Samwise was always loyal, unflinchingly so.

The Battle of Helm's Deep

The Battle of Helm's Deep is a poem that reflects the true spirit and essence of the original story, but is told in a manner that might be sung by the riders of Rohan as they remember their honored dead in the years after the return of the King.  Helm's Deep is a place and event that holds great mystery for all Lord of the Rings fans.