A Book Review: Leviathan by David Lynn Golemon (Event Group Thrillers #4)

Here is an exercise. Let your power of imagination roam free, then try to spin an entertaining yarn, about 300 pages in length, by joining the dots (any that you can spot) between 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Count of Monte Cristo. Pretty hard, right? Such a feat, however, presents a small difficulty if you are David Lynn Colemon, the author of Leviathan, which is the 4^th installment in a series of Sci-fi thriller novels called “Event Group Thrillers”.

What is Event Group? From the inventive mind of David Lynn Colemon comes Event Group (or Department 5656), it is a fictitious, secret organization in the US government. With its base sitting in the bowels of Neveda, Event Group recruits the best and the brightest individuals in the country, at its front line stands the most brilliant people from multiple disciplines, such as science, philosophy, archeology and military. Colonel Jack Collins leads this dream team, together they dedicate their lives to uncovering the hidden truth behind the mythical and legendary events around the world, events that changed the human history.

If my description for Event Group interests you, then feel free to continue reading my book review on Leviathan. I don't think Event Group Thrillers is a widely known series, so if you enjoy this type of thrillers then may you discover a hidden gem in your honorable quest at expanding your reading world.

Synopsis:

Ships around the world are disappearing without a trace, and major seaports are sustaining waves after waves of terrible assaults. The attacks froze the global network of marine transport. Meanwhile, the identity of the assailant remains shrouded in mystery. The United Nations, driven to frenzy by the economic repercussions from this new threat, can do little but staring helplessly on as this stealthy enemy suffocates the world at its throat.

Enters Event Group, the secret ace in the hand of the US government. Led by Colonel Jack Collins, Event Group dug into history and unveiled a most astonishing discovery - Jules Verne's novel has come to life, and behind the series of ruthless attacks lies a mad genius whose vengeful wrath, can only be matched by Edmond Dantes himself.

From the deep fathom of the ocean rises a cold vengeance; its name is Leviathan, and it will spare no one on earth. Who can stop the dooming march of this mighty beast?

My thoughts on this book:

Leviathan is my first adventure with Event Group and I find it a pleasant surprise. This thriller novel exhibits a strong inclination to sci-fi, and it tells a very creative story. The greatest strength of this book, in my opinion, is its characterization. More than a handful of thrillers suffer from a problem, where the story features a cookie cutter, stereotypical antagonist who is weak and lacks a convincing motive. Leviathan, on the other hand, thrives on the story's fascinating antagonist. David Lynn Golemon did an excellent job at characterizing the antagonist, who is one of those fascinating characters that pushes the boundary between good and bad. In this book, Golemon explored the antagonist in depth and then presented the other side of the argument. How did Golemon achieve this level of deep characterization? Leviathan began with a prologue 50 pages in length, it established the background and the history of the antagonist. This is a somewhat unusual style for narrating a story, but it is also very effective at drilling an impression for the antagonist, marrow deep, into a reader's mind.

The second virtue for Leviathan is its fast-paced, suspense filled narratives. There is not a single dull moment in this book. The plot is not overly complex, but it still packs a bag of twists that will surprise you. It suffices to say, Levithan is a very entertaining thriller and it is the kind of book that will keep you reading late into the night. Having praised this novel, I do think this book is not without a weakness; it overpopulated the story with too many characters. The overabundance of characters made it difficult to follow the story. Especially in the first 30% of the book. Other than the story's protagonist, Jack Collins, and the antagonist (who I will not name here), it took a while for the side characters to sink into my brain. I think this is because some of the side characters are not distinctive, they are too similar to each other. However, upon reaching the halfway point, I developed a firm grasp of who is who in the story, then I encountered little difficulty to track the plot. From there, the story moved as a rolling boulder down a hill, all the way to the end.

Reading Leviathan was a blast, a very entertaining experience for me. I like the story's originality, and I admire Golemon's wonderful creativity. Yes, this book may not be perfect because it has too many characters. But its fascinating antagonist, combined with a story moving at an unrelenting pace, easily outshine its minor flaw. It is very unfortunate my local library only collects 7 out of 11 novels in this series, and book 1 is missing on its shelf so I will not be able to read the first adventure in this series. Luckily, as with most thriller novels, the books in this series are telling stand alone stories, so reading them out of order will not have a disastrous effect should I continue to the next installment. In the meantime, I highly recommend Leviathan to fans of science fiction and thrillers. Especially to those readers who are fond of books written by authors such as James Rollins, Jules Vernes, and Tom Clancy.

Until the next time, happy reading!

A Book Review: Eric by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #9)

Ever heard of the motif, “made a pact with the devil?” Exemplified by the German legend, Faust, this motif is ingrained into the western culture. Today, we use this motif in our everyday conversations. Especially when we are describing a person who gained quick gratifications at the expense of suffering negative consequences. In Eric, the 4^th tale featuring the inept wizard Rincewind, Terry Pratchett parodied the legend of Faust; and with a flare from Dante's Inferno, he weaved a short and magical Discworld adventure that also comes with a touch of wisdom.

Synopsis:

Eric Thursley, 13 years old, a resident of Ankh Morkpork and a demonologist, dreams of 3 things: 1) Become the ruler of the world, 2) Meet the most beautiful woman who ever lived, and 3) To live for ever.

This ambitious young man will stop at nothing to turn his dreams into a reality, even if it means summoning a demon to do his bidding. With a sword in the hand and the chanting of spells, Eric summoned a demon in a puff of smoke. Seconds later, on the floor of his mother's house lays a man-looking demon clothed in a red robe and wearing a pointy hat. The “demon” woke up and told Eric that he is not a demon, that his name is Rincewind, the wizard of precarious magical ability from The Unseen University.

“The demon is lying”, thought Eric. As a proof that the demon is being deceitful, Eric demanded Rincewind to snap his fingers and make things happen. To Rincewind's horror, however, he discovered that snapping his fingers really does work magic. How? Eric's parrot explained, because Rincewind is summoned as a demon, so he is bound to the conditions of being a demon. This supernatural job's package, the parrot said, comes with the power to wield magic and the terms to fulfilling his summoner's wishes.

Eric is ecstatic beyond himself. With Rincewind's aid, Eric's dream can finally come true! But what did they say? Be careful what you wish for. This is especially true if you are relying on Rincewind to granting you wishes. 

My thoughts on this book:

Eric breaks into the massive Discworld library with its texts accompanied by beautiful illustrations, painted by artist Josh Kirby. Some readers may feel that the illustrations are distracting, but I like the illustrations in this book, because it fully captures the colorful, vibrant, and eccentric tone of Discworld. In other words, Josh Kirby's illustrations added much luster to Eric.

The next item on my table of discussion, is the story itself. Counting to 160 pages, Eric is probably the shortest novel in the series. This novel feels like an epilogue to the cliffhanger that ended Sourcery. This book is funny, Terry Pratchett packed a fistful of jokes on its pages that will make a reader smiles a toothy grin. Furthermore, fans of classics will appreciate the numerous references to The Divine Comedy and Odyssey.

However, when I was reading this book, I couldn't help but feel that Eric is perhaps the weakest Discworld novel in the series. Why? As I have mentioned in my previous reviews for Discworld books, such as The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic, randomness is a DNA of Discworld stories (especially the earlier installments). I consider myself a person who normally appreciates the use of randomness and its humorous effects. However, overusing this type of storytelling device can make a story very difficult to follow. In the case of Eric, too many pieces and threads are flying around in this book, and one struggles to make sense of the story. When I was reading this book, I often revisited the previous pages because the story confused me. Yes, Eric is funny, and its story moved at a fast pace; but Rincewind's 4^th adventure, the shortest in Discworld, is also the hardest to follow.

I am no longer religious (and from what I know, neither was Sir Terry), but a theme from Eric jumped out and grabbed my interest, and that was the theme about hell. In Eric, Sir Terry poked fun at the traditional conception, borrowed from the Greeks, that hell is a place of fire and brimstone. But how can you suffer and feel the pains from fire and torture, if you are dead and no longer have flesh and nerve endings? Look, I don't think Sir Terry meant to pursue this line of inquiry seriously, it was more just for humor. Because obviously, those who believe in hell will come up with their own interpretations about what hell is like, to make the existence of hell seem more plausible. For an example, in C.S. Lewis' book, The Great Divorce, he suggested that hell is the seeking of loneliness, where one resents the Christian god and is horrified at the fact that he can see heaven, but he is not worthy to go there. The question to Lewis' interpretation of hell, then, is what if you actually PREFER to be left alone? If Lewis is correct, then for those who prefer solitude, hell is not hell but an amazing paradise! Ok, one might counter argue, and say that such a person is not aware the loneliness of hell is causing him great suffering. Sure, but the same can be said about a person in heaven, that he/she is unaware that the amazing delights (whatever it may be) that he/she is experiencing in heaven are in fact, great sufferings, when viewed from the perspective of a person in "hell". This way, we arrive at a most mind-blowing conclusion, that no one in the afterlife (if there is one), be it in heaven or in hell, will ever know, for sure, if his/her eternal experience is joy or suffering! It is subjective to personal preferences! This also means, you might think you have arrived in heaven because you find the experience of the place delightful and it matches what your religion taught you about heaven, but you can never sure you are in heaven, because another person with a different religious belief and personal preference, at the opposite realm, might look upon your self-perceived, joyful experience and see it as being nothing short of indescribable suffering of hell and you are just not aware of it!

At this point, those who believe in hell will obviously come up with further explanations, which in my experience, provides a response but in the process usually leads to two more questions. It is an never ending Q&A, where the questions always grow exponentially upon the delivery of every attempted answer! Ok wait, how did I get here? My intention, is not to open up a theological can of worm on the subject of hell. No, I am reviewing a book so let me get back to it. Either way, I just want to mention, that in Eric, Terry Pratchett suggested, what makes hell insufferable is boredom (haven't you heard the saying, bored as hell?). Now, that is a very interesting suggestion, even though I think Sir Terry was aiming more at creating humor than providing a serious, theological thought about hell. And here I will close my review after this detour into a discussion about hell.

I do like Eric. I love Josh Kirby's beautiful illustrations, and I appreciated the numerous references to Dante's Inferno and Odyssey. Eric's story is funny, and it has an interesting theme. Yet, I think Eric is the weakest novel in Discworld's magical achieve. Too many pieces are floating around in the story, making Eric's adventure quite difficult to follow. Having said this, a true fan of Discworld will probably gobble up this book as another delightful installment in the series, as I have done.

A Book Review: Sourcery by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #5)

In the 3^rd adventure featuring Rincewind, an inept wizard on Discworld, Terry Pratchett invited his readers on an mis-adventure of magic, magic, and more magic! This book, is called Sourcery (No, I have not misspelled Sorcery, this book IS called Sourcery). This is one of the earlier Discworld books, and like The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic, Sourcery is a light, and fun parody of the sword and sorcery genre.

Synopsis:

Once upon a time, A and B entered a profound discussion about the truth to everything. Their discussion became the turning point for the lives of all sentient species in existence. Below is a record for their mind-blowing exchange of dialogues:

A: “They say, like father, like son.”

B: “Ok, but who is “they”? Who said this?”

A: “Ah ha, now you are thinking critically and asking the right question. Never let the search for truth end, abruptly, at an assumption. Instead, one should trace BACK to the source, use the first principle, and always ask “where did this come from?”.

B” “Hmm, by your own admission, we should never settle an answer on an assumption; this should also apply to the epistemic method you have outlined here, right? So tell me, why do you assume that “going backward”, is the only way to find the source? What if, we can also find the source by going forward?”

A: “All right, you got me there. Inconsistencies are plaguing my epistemology. I admit defeat! Come to think of it, you may be onto something there when you suggested, that perhaps we can also locate the source by going forward.”

Continue....

A: “In a galaxy not so far away, there is this place called Discworld. As its name suggests, this world is as flat as a disc (a scientifically proven fact). On Discworld, magic is a reality. Now, some people are going to ask, what is the source, the ground, for the existence of Discworld's magic? It's a bit complicated. Basically, the source of Discworld's magic can be found by the reversing the first principle. In other words, the answer to the question about the source, does not lie always in regression, but sometimes, in progression.”

Continue...

A: “Once upon a time, an eighth son gave birth to an eighth son, who became a wizard. That wizard went on and had seven sons. When he had the eighth son (that is a wizard squared, mind you!), the son became a sourcerer – the source of magic. This is known as the theory of sourcery. By the way, this is all mathematics, really.”

Continue...

A: “Furthermore, the theory of sourcerry is supported by an irrefutable evidence, because the sourcerer went on and almost destroyed the Disc, an event witnessed by many. A very nice gentleman called Terry Pratchett recorded this history in a book that he wrote, it is called Sourcerry. Actually, why don't you go and read it?”

My thoughts on this book:

In my opinion, Terry Pratchett was the best satirist since Jonathan Swift. However, if you are like me, who have read the latter installments in Discworld and then coming back to read his earlier works, then one cannot help but notice, that in a book such as Sourcery, Sir Terry's prowess as a satirist was not yet evident. In fact, I would say that in Sourcery, the 5^th installment in Discworld, Sir Terry had yet to scratch the surface of what he was going to do with this series latter on, one that would go on and become a most powerful satirist fantasy series beloved by millions of readers.

In other words, like the earlier stories featuring the cowardly wizard Rincewind, Sourcery is a straight parody of the Sword and Sorcery genre. In this book, Terry Pratchett poked fun at the fantasy literature by parodying the genre's tropes. In Sourcery, Sir Terry cast his story with a pool of eccentric, but vibrant characters; an inept wizard, a skinny barbarian hero who consults a manual before he acts, a damsel who is actually an ass-kicking barbarian warrior, and a sentient luggage who walks on hundreds of little legs. With colorful, and picturesque portrayals Terry Pratchett depicted these characters. Every one of them grows into memorable characters. In Sourcery, Terry Pratchett showed the readers, why he was among the best authors when it came to writing a character and describing things. This is especially evident from his characterization of the luggage, who is by far, my favorite character in this book. As an example, in this book there is a scene where the luggage fell in love with the alleged damsel. It walked alongside her protectively, but was kicked aside. It then turned around with a shocked and a hurtful “look” on it. Ok, the luggage doesn't have a face, and it doesn't speak, so how did Sir Terry communicate the luggage's shock and hurt over its unrequited love? Read the book, and I think you will come to appreciate the genius of Terry Pratchett's writing as much as I do.

One cannot help but feel, that reading some Discworld novels is a bit like watching Monty Python movies. Sir Terry's literary works can be very random at times, and some Discworld novels, some books more than the others, have pieces that appear randomly without being a part of the story. For an example, I think The Color of Magic may confuse a new comer to the Disc. Sourcery, the first 2/3 of it at least, on the other hand, tells its story in a manner more cohesive than in The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic. However, the last 50 pages in this book became a bit blurry for me, I struggled to make sense of the ending, because as this novel moved closer and closer to its end, too many random things were popping up and I couldn't understand how it fitted into the story. This, is my main criticism about this book.

Despite coming out of Rincewind's third adventure and being slightly dazed by its ending, I had a fun time reading Sourcery. I love the characters in this book, and the story put a smile on my face. As I mentioned earlier, Sourcery is an early work in the series, and it had yet to scratch the surface of Discworld. But it is a humorous novel nevertheless, and it also serves as an excellent introduction to the series. I will recommend this novel, but one should read this book after The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic.    

A Book Review: War Hawk by James Rollins and Grant Blackwood (Tucker Wayne #2)

  An age of technological revolution is descending upon us. Machines are coming online and replacing humans. Meanwhile, everything we are saying and doing, are being recorded on the internet and visible to anyone with the correct tools and the access. In today's world, taking over a whole country is a matter of punching in a few commands on a computer terminal. In the mean time, governments around the world are accelerating the pace to privatize, outsourcing works to commercial corporations, including applications that are paramount to national security, such as law enforcement, intelligence, and the military. However, corporations exist for monetary gains. So at this rate, will Philip K. Dick's dystopian vision come true, where megacorporations emerge in the near future, possessing too much power and use it for self-serving purposes?

This pressing question sets the theme for James Rollin's new thriller novel, War Hawk, the second installment in a spin-off series of Sigma Force, featuring retired US Army Ranger Tucker Wayne, and his trusty, canine brother, Kane.

Synopsis:

What is democracy?

Former Army Ranger, Tucker, and his war dog, Kane, are about to undertake a dark voyage and expose a conspiracy that will alter the foundation of democracy in America. Their journey began during a scenic tour to the Yellow Stone, when Tucker was contacted by Jane Sabatello, a former army colleague in need of his help. A ruthless assassin, said a distressed Jane, will stop at nothing to kill her and her son.

Tucker is determined to help Jane. Together with Kane, Tucker must uncover a hidden link, starting from the murder of a young idealist and leading back to a powerful group in association with the US government. Now, a former solider and his loyal war dog are stepping into the shadowed ruins of a southern plantation, to unveil a mystery from World War II, a mystery tracing back to the father of computer, Alan Turing.

My thoughts on this book:

If you are seeking some good thriller novels, I will point you to James Rollins and his Sigma Force series. And I tell you, War Hawk is among the top books in Sigma Force universe.

War Hawk is the second book in a spin-off series of Sigma Force, and it features Tucker, and his war dog, Kane. James Rollins first introduced Tucker and Kane in Bloodline, and the duo was warmly received by readers and fans. Rollins felt that he has more stories to tell about these two characters, leading to this spin-off series, which began with The Kill Switch.

I have read every single book that belongs to Sigma Force's franchise. I like all of them, because every Sigma Force story is a cross between history, science fiction, mystery and action. Rollins cleverly mixes facts and fictions, and bringing into Sigma Force stories a touch of Issac Assimov, a taste of Dan Brown, and moving with the actions of Indiana Jones. War Hawk, however, differs slightly from other Sigma Force books because it is more believable. What do I mean? Most Sigma Force novels traversed into the realm of science fiction, where the stories are often based on conjectures of a scientific theory, or a technology yet to be invented. In other words, while other Sigma Force novels can intrigue a reader with scientific possibilities, and thrill a reader with mysteries, yet one cannot help but feel that, a gap exists between the scenarios from those books and the reality.

War Hawk, on the other hand, is a different book. Rollins based this story on the existing technology, and creating a scenario that could take place in the reality. I mean, let's examine a few elements in this book and see if they already exist in our world: 1) Military UAV, checked. 2) Corporate greed, checked, 3) Developing artificial intelligence, checked. This book thrilled me, not only because it tells a story full of suspense, but because of its realism. As I was reading this book, it sent a shiver down my spine because I recognized, that the scenario in War Hawk may not be far-fetched.  

This book has an interesting premise, but its most attractive quality is the characterization. Tucker, a battle scarred ex-soldier struggling with PTSD, plays the role of the protagonist. Rollins penned Tucker's character as a decent man, who genuinely tries to do the right thing, while seeking refuge from his horrid memories of wars. Tucker is accompanied by his loyal war dog, Kane, who (arguably) stole the show in this book. Apparently, war dogs and their handlers can form very deep bonds with each other. James Rollins captured, movingly, the deep friendship between Tucker and Kane. Speaking of which, Kane shares the centre stage of the story as a main protagonist next to Tucker. But Kane is a dog, how does one characterize an animal who cannot speak? Rollins, being a master storyteller, has an ingenious solution where he told certain parts of the story from Kane's perspective, and it worked brilliantly!

It suffices to say, Kane is easily my favorite character in the book and I am very fond of him. And Rollins never shied away from putting Kane in situations of real danger. When I was reading this book, my heart raced whenever Kane charged into perils and stared at death in the face. Reading War Hawk, was a nail biting adventure. This novel's characterization, however, is not flawless. In my opinion, the weakness arrived when the book introduced its antagonist. Yes, the book gave the bad guy a believable motive. Yet, I couldn't help but felt a lot of wasted potentials in this character, because Rollins did not explore the antagonist properly. Instead, the story lightly brushed over the bad guy's background and history.

War Hawk blasts its way into the archive of Sigma Force with a touch of realism and it is doused in a healthy coat of action and suspense. This thrilling story, thought provoking and nerve-wracking, has a nice undertone to it, and it will make you think about some problems in our world, such as corporate greed. When I returned this book to the library, I could not help but wonder when Tucker and Kane will return for their next adventure. Hopefully, the wait won't be too long. Meanwhile, I highly recommend War Hawk to my fellow readers, especially to those who are fond of reading thrillers.

Until the next time, happy reading!

A movie review: Kubo and the Two Strings

“If you must blink, do it now.”

Have you seen a movie called Kubo and the Two Strings? If you answer this question with a “no”, then go see it now! And if you decide to watch this movie, then make sure you take the advice above; blink before the movie starts, because once this stunning film starts to unfold on the silver screen, you will not want to miss a single frame of it.

Kubo and the Two Strings, is a stop-motion, fantasy action film produced by Laika. This beautiful, hand-crafted movie won numerous praises from both audiences and critics alike, scoring 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 84% on Metacritic. But sadly, not many people are aware of this movie (probably due to poor marketing?), and it is not getting the attention it deserves at the box office.

Synopsis:

In a small, seashore village of Japan lived an one-eyed boy and his mother. The boy, named Kubo, made a modest living out of basking with his shamisen and telling stories of wonder and adventure, at the village's market.

Kubo's quiet life turned upside down, when he summoned, accidently, a terrible foe from the past. Now, gods and monsters seek to exact vengeance upon Kubo, chasing him to the end of the earth. Kubo does not understand what fuels his foe's bloodthirsty vendetta, only that it has something to do with his remaining eye. Outmatched by such a powerful nemesis, Kubo's only hope, is to find a suit of magical armor once belonged to his father, who was the greatest Samurai warrior in Japan.

My thoughts about this movie:

Lavished in storytelling and bursting to life with stunning pictures, Kubo and the Two Strings is entering my list for favorite animated movies of all time!

Kubo and the Two Strings opened its terrific story with a breathtaking scene. From there, this movie enchanted me with its striking images and a very memorable story. This movie's cinematography, lit the silver screen with beautiful lighting and rich coloring, while ear-pleasing soundtracks accompanied the telling of a timeless story. The result? This film fully captured the mythical atmosphere of medieval Japan, and brought Kubo's world vividly to life. After the movie I discovered, that Laika hand-crafted Kubo and the Two Strings. Yes, hand-crafted! The production team built puppets, models of buildings, and every other objects in this movie. Then they meticulously moved the objects, by hand, shot the individual frame painstakingly, and finally combined every frame together to make a 90 minutes long movie. This revelation shocked me, the first time I set my eyes on this film, I thought Kubo and the Two Strings was rendered by CGI. Never in a million years had I guessed that such a beautiful movie was hand-crafted by a team of very dedicated, passionate artists.

In a day and age where most Hollywood studios are busy pumping out waves of sequels for superhero movies, Kubo and the Two Strings is really standing out as a rare gem. Why? This movie actually tells an original story! This is a movie that paces itself  and tells its story properly. And it narrates such a moving tale that is also a powerful metaphor. Kubo and the Two Strings may be a melancholic story. After the movie, you may leave the cinema with an aftertaste of bitter and sweet, where the corner of your eye glistens with a small drop of moist. Yet, you will remember this story, because Kubo's tale is ultimately a beautiful metaphor about mortality and grief. That is why, a week has passed since I left the cinema, but Kubo's story still lingers on my mind. It is an unforgettable journey. A sad, but beautiful tale. And I believe people of all ages can find something they can take away after seeing this film.

Having heaped praises on this movie, I must say Kubo and the Two Strings is not without its flaws. If there is one thing I must criticize about this masterpiece, then it is its humor. This movie attempted some humorous reliefs through its dialogues. Perhaps, the occasional humor was for balancing against the melancholy at the vein of Kubo's story. However, I thought the humor didn't execute well in this movie, and the jokes just didn't hit the funny tone. Instead of tickling your funny bone, the humors in this movie often came across cliched and off beat. Fortunately, only a few humorous reliefs are in this movie, so it is not a big deal.

Laika produced a masterpiece. Kubo and the Two Strings is simply, one of the best movies this genre has to offer in recent years. This movie really is a labor of love! It is a complete mystery why, this beautifully crafted film, is failing to pull a large audience. I hope this movie will perform well at the box office, so this studio and its talented artists can make more movies of quality this high. I strongly recommend Kubo and the Two Strings. Should you decide to watch this movie, then I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

P.S.

Kubo and the Two Strings is rated PG. So is this movie suitable for children? Personally, I think this movie may be too much to handle for a child under the age of 10. How? Without loitering into the spoiler territory, let me just say two characters from this movie looked very spooky. Furthermore, as I have mentioned earlier, Kubo's story is melancholy. I think certain moments in the story could upset little children. For the older kids, however, the main theme behind Kubo's story, about one's mortality, may have some educational benefit.