Halloween special: The essence of fear - Supernatural Horror VS Naturalistic horror

"We made up horrors to help us cope with the real ones"

                                                   - Stephen King

Human beings have the tendency to tell horror stories, every culture has it. We are a people fascinated by horror stories, our books and movies are full of them. What attracts us to horror? Is it because through horror stories, we get to take the backseat, and experience our deepest fears as an audience?

If so, what then, is the essence of fear which motivates the telling of these horror stories?

I have some interests in the genre of horror, and it is difficult to find a kindred spirit with similar interest in the Christian community. The truth is, you will probably see a few raised eyebrows and suspicious looks from people in the Christian community, if you openly admit you like horror and research this genre... they will probably tell you to read Chronicles of Narnia or the Bible instead of reading horror stories written by secular authors.

I have a different opinion about horror stories compared to the general church culture. In my opinion, horror stories express mankind's deepest longings, hopes and fears. This means we should not develop prejudice against them.

 Let me explain:

In my experience with the horror genre, I've noticed 2 major types of horror; the supernatural horror, and the naturalistic horror.

Supernatural horror stories, often contain elements such as ghosts, demons, evil spirits, or some sort of mystical creatures not from the natural world. The plots of these supernatural horror stories, often revovles around the supernatural entity wanting revenge against the living. The concept of "vengeful spirits" is historically common in all cultures. Even today, horror stories of this nature appears frequently in horror movies, comic books, and novels. For example, movies such as "The Crow", "Mama", The Grudge". or the comic book "Spawn" all revolve around the concept of vengeful spirits. I wonder, if people tell horror stories about vengeful spirits because it is an extension of mankind's thirst for justice and righteousness?

On the other hand, supernatural horror stories about ghosts and demons often take us into a world not our own, with ideas about after life, good and evil, and a sense of divine order. Perhaps this means people tell ghost stories to help them deal with the fear of one's mortality? Perhaps telling ghost stories, is an exhilirating way to assure us "this is not it", there is more than just this life, and there are meanings to everything.

I call the second type of horror, naturalistic horror. This is a fascinating genre invented by author H.P. Lovecraft. Before Lovecraft came along, supernatural horror stories dominated the genre, and they often tell stories about ghosts and demons. Such as the book "Ghost stories of antiquity" published in 1904. However, when H.P. Lovecaft entered the stage, he turned the genre upside down.

H.P. Lovecraft is most famous for his horror stories about forgotten, otherworldly elderitch horror and cosmic entities, lying dormant in ancient, cyclopean megalithic structures while gazing upon the mankind with indifference. In other words, the real horror of Lovecraft's stories is when he asks us to consider the possibility, that life on earth has no meaning, no purpose, while this ancient universe gazes upon us with indifference... because the universe does not care. It is the fear of the unknown, that should we ultimately discover the utter meaninglessness of life, we should either go mad, or flee back into the blessings of ignorance (see the opening lines of "The call of Cthulhu")

By now, you can probably see very clearly, that supernatural horror is more akin to theistic view of life, while naturalistic horror is resembles atheist view of life.

So you might ask, which version is more reasonable?

Personally, I think both views can be intellectually reasonable, depending on your personal convictions.

However, if we tell horror stories to help us understand our deepest fears, then perhaps we can explore this question from a different angle, by asking a different question: why do we have fears?

Happy Halloween.

Book Review: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

“Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts.” 

                             - Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind

When you name a person, or a thing, have you ever pondered at the significance of it? Not only does a name serve the purpose of identification, but it also speaks for the character of a person, or indicating a position in an establish order. Furthermore, this means the name we give to someone can either build and encourage, or destroy and hurt; names have great powers. So what does it mean, to search for the name of the wind?

Then Name of the Wind, is a fantasy novel. It is written by Patrick Rothfuss, who spend 7 years writing this novel during his pursuit in the degree of BA in English. This is a very well written novel, and have won numerous awards after the book was published in 2007. It is also the first book in a trilogy.

Synopsis:

The story follows a mysterious individual called Kvothe, and is told in 2 interwoven parts. The first part is told in the present, describing scenes of Kvothe sitting in an inn telling a chronicler the story about himself, Kvothe revealed his entire story will take 3 days to tell, and The Name of the Wind is day one of his story. The second part of the story is Kvothe's narrative of his story.

Kote is the Innkeeper of Waystone Inn. Together with his assistant, Bast, the duo manage the sparsely used inn. One night, Kote saved a chronicler from an attack from magical creatures known as "fae".Afterward, Kote brought the chronicler to his inn. Subsequently, the chronicler identified Kote's hidden identity is actually Kvothe. A famed magician, musician, and an unparalleled swordsman with a legendary past.

Kvothe agreed to tell the chronicler the true story about himself. Insisting the telling will take 3 days. The story told in day one constituted this book. 

In his narrative, Kvothe revealed in his childhood, he grew up in a troupe and showed considerable talents at learning things quickly. His parents were travelling performers. One day, a mysterious band appeared and murdered the entire troupe, including Kvothe's parents. Left alone in the world, Kvothe told the story of how he survived on the streets of a big city as an urchin, and his eventual acceptance into the University at very young age, to study and became an arcanist (or wizard). But Kvothe's study at the University is just the beginning, a stepping stone that will one day make him one of the most famous legends in the world..

What I think about this book:

The Name of the Wind is very well written. Most of the book is about Kvothe's time spent at the University as a student learning magic. In some ways, The Name of the Wind feels a little bit like Harry Potter, both have scenes of the protagonist studying magic at a school. However, Kvothe is a character with a much stronger personality than Harry Potter.

The pace of the story can become a bit slow at certain places, but I was never bored while reading this book. Most importantly, Kvothe is a fascinating character, full of mysteries. While reading this book, I always wanted to find out find out more about Kvothe and his past. Overall, The Name of the Wind is a great read. If you like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, then you will definitely like this book.

Book Review: The Last Oracle by James Rollins

 Humanity has always been fascinated with the ability to foretell the future. History tells us in the past, prophets and oracles were among the most revered and important people in ancient societies. Even today, prophecies remain as the cornerstones of many religious faith, and their trace can be found in ancient manuscripts and religions' holy texts.

Author James Rollins, weaved a fantastic story, mixing elements of history, science and science fictions, he crafted a highly memorable tale in the 5th book to Sigma Force series, titled "The Last Oracle".

Synopsis:

Outside of Sigma Force's central command centre at Washington D.C. A man was shot by an assassin and dies in the arms of commander Gray Pierce. The murdered man clutched a bloodied, ancient coin in his hand. As Gray Pierece discovered later, this ancient relic can be traced back to the Oracle of Delphi in ancient Greece. This coin, will also lead Sigma Force to discover a conspiracy, leading back to the Cold War, and can shake the foundation of our understanding of humanity. Imagine, if technology can be used to bioengineer the next great prophet; Buddha, Muhammad, or perhaps Jesus? Will such an action elevate mankind? Or will it be the cause of our extinction, if it falls into the wrong hand?

Gray and his team race around the globe, searching for clues to prevent a terrorist group from unleashing the power of the Last Oracle upon mankind...

What I think about this book:

The Last Oracle is great, it has a really interesting story, mixed with both facts and fictions from history and science. Furthermore, The Last Oracle has the esoteric vibe that I liked so much from Map of Bones; combined with nail biting suspense, explosive actions, and a very moving ending, The Last Oracle is one of the best Sigma Force novels in the series. If you are a fan of treasure hunts, and conspiracy thrillers, then this is definitely the book for you.

Book Review: The Judas Strain by James Rollins

  The Judas Strain, is James Rollin's 4th Sigma Force novel. This story reads like a Hollywood blockbuster thriller. This is a story featuring: treasure hunts, car chase, actions, ancient mystery, conspiracy, and a deadly virus threatening to wipe out mankind from the face of the earth.

Synopsis:

A lethal plague arise from the depth of the Indian Ocean, upon the tide of the incoming plague rides the harbinger of death for mankind. Operatives of Sigma Force, Dr. Lisa Cummings and Monk, boarded a cruise in hope of investigating the origins of this horrible plague. Unfortunately, a terrorist group hijacked the cruise ship, revealing their intention to manipulate the virus for their own purposes..

In the meantime, across the world in the United States, Commander Gray Pierce discovered the first clue to the cure of this deadly plague. He joined force with his former nemesis, a deadly assassin who works for a terrorist group known as the "guild". Together, Gray and his team embarked on a most fantastical quest to discover an ancient secret hidden for centuries, by following the trailer of the legendary explorer Marco Polo.

Can Sigma Force thwart the ambitions of terrorist groups and discover the cure to the virus in time? Or will the history of humanity be forever changed?

What I think about this book:

Since the day I opened the first page of Sand Storm, the first Sigma Force novel, I was intrigued by Rollins' ability to spin a heart pumping, page turning book. As I read more and more Sigma Force novels, I became a fan to this series. I loved Map of Bones, and I loved Black Order. I am also happy to report, I also loved The Judas Strain.

This is a good book, it has all elements required for a great action thriller story, blended with historical mysteries and interesting science (and science fiction). The pace of the story is very fast, just like the previous Sigma Force novels. There are also some minor twists and unexpected moments in the story to keep the reader at the edge of their seats. However, I do have to say, I like Map of Bones and Black Order a bit more than The Judas Strain. This is because it seems to me the storytelling was smoother in those 2 novels than The Judas Strain. Nonetheless, The Judas Strain is an excellent thriller, and I look forward to reading the next Sigma Force novel.

Book Revew: Black Order by James Rollins

  Secret experiments from Nazi Germany, the theory of evolution, and genetically enhanced super humans. These are the premises for James Rollin's action thriller novel, Black Order, the third book in Sigma Force series.

Synopsis:

In Copenhagen, Denmark, a raging fire destroyed a bookstore. Revealing a sinister plot from a terrorist group, to steal a Bible belonged to Charles Darwin. Commander Gray Pierce undertook the investigation, his discoveries will take him to abandoned laboratories once belonged to the Nazis, where horrible experiments were conducted.

In Nepal, the director of Sigma Force, Painter Crowe awakes to find himself stranded in a monastery. He encountered Dr. Lisa Cummings, a doctor investigating the mysterious death at the monastery. The pair was hunted by a powerful assassin, promising a hidden conspiracy beneath.

Gray Pierce and the Sigma Force team, are on an adventure and discovery of not only just a conspiracy that existed in the past, as well as the future, when they will encounter the Black Order.

What I think about the book:

Black Order is an outrageously entertaining book, and a worthy successor to the Sigma Force series. By pulling from historical and scientific facts, James Rollins masterfully weaved conspiracy and thrills into the story. This book is fast, action packed, filled with iconic moments and hear pumping sequences. Rollins managed to create enough suspense to encourage the readers to keep on reading, while orchestrating nerve breaking action sequences that will keep readers at the edge of their seats. If you like thrillers, treasure hunts, and spy novels, the make sure to check out Black Order.

Book Review: Blood Song by Anthony Ryan

Blood Song, is author Anthony Ryan's debut novel. In this epic fantasy story, readers are invited on a journey with Vaelin Al Sorna, the protagonist of the book, on a grand story about war, tragedy, and faith.

Synopsis:

Vaelin Al Sorna, is a brother of the Sixth Order. He was raised and trained by the order since childhood, with deadly martial skills, to fight and serve the Faith. Vaelin's story became a testimony of conflict, friendship and religious faith, told wonderfully and masterfully by the new fantasy novelist Anthony Ryan.

What I think about this book:

As a debut novel, Blood Song is a very well written book. The pace of the story is good and there are almost no boring moments. The story starts a bit slow at the beginning, but it is still interesting because early chapters of the book sets up the premise of this tale, serving as introductions to characters in this book as well as world building.

Characters in this book are interesting, and the protagonist is likeable. Vaelin's story is quite tragic, yet tinged with seeds of hope, unraveled through a marvelous tale, epic both in its scale and storytelling. The only minor problem of this book is, the names of characters in this book are overly foreign and not gripping. It took me a while to familarize with the names of major characters.

Otherwise, Blood Song is a great addition to the world of fantasy fictions. This is a book that readers of this genre would not want to miss.

Book Review: Map of Bones by James Rollins

Map of Bones, is the second book to the Sigma Force series. I think the best description of this book is: Raiders of the Lost Ark + Da Vinci Code + Mission Impossible.

Author James Rollins, wrote Map of Bones as the second installment to his Sigma Force series. Sigma Force, is a fictional US government organisation, under DARAP. This organisation recruits operatives who are scientists with military training, to combat terrorists organisations who attempt to use technology to threat world peace.

If you like history, science, tomb raiding, action thriller, and conspiracy theories, then read on, because you will definitely enjoy this book. Let's take a closer look:




Synopsis:

In Germany, a service in a cathedral is interrupted by armed intruders wearing monk's outfits. These intruders unleashed a mysterious, nightmarish destruction that killed almost all people in the cathedral. Only a few survived. Adding to the web of mystery is the unknown motive of these intruders, because they did not want the treasures in the cathedral. Instead, they came to steal the bones of magi, the same magi who, according to the Bible once paid homage to baby Jesus on the night he was born. It seems these intruders believe this relic holds a power that could reshape the world.

Meanwhile, in the Vatican city, the Catholic church asked for aid from Sigma Force to resolve this mystery. Commander Pierce Grayson, and his two companions Monk and Kathy, traveled to the Vatican, and teaming up with Lieutenant Rachel Verona and her uncle Vigor. Together, these five heroes embarked on a dangerous mission, a heart racing journey to thwart a horrific plan of an ancient order. Their journey will take them across the world, to revisit and discover the sites of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Where science and religion, will combine to unleash the blackest horror...

My thoughts on this book:

Map of Bones is a great book. It is truly awesome! I finished it in 2 days. This is a high octane, adrenaline driven adventure story. The pace of the story was fast as lightning and heart pounding. I couldn't put it down after I started reading it!

Being the 2nd book in the Sigma Force series, Map of Bones improved over its predecessor in story telling, characterization, and pace. Three new major characters are introduced in this book; Pierce Grayson, Monk, and Kathy. All three characters are Sigma Force operatives, where the protagonist from the previous book, Painter Crowe became the minor character in this book. While I really like Painter Crowe, but I also like the new characters. For example, Monk is my favorite Sigma Force operative. The characterization of the villain and supporting characters are equally as impressive. The storytelling is gripping, there are plenty of twists and turns in the story that will definitely surprise you. The action scenes are well written. The author used history, science, and supernatural elements, to orchestrate a plot full of mysterious and estoric elements that will definitely win nods of approval from fans of Indiana Jones movies or Dan Brown's books.

Although the book incorporated heavy use of religion at the core of its story, but the author treats religion with great respect. In this aspect, I speculate Christians may find this book more enjoyable than Dan Brown's books.

I enjoyed this book a lot, and after reading 2 books from this series, I will say I am now a fan of James Rollin's Sigma Force series. If you are a fan of this genre, or if you have read Sandstorm but haven't read this book yet, then make sure you don't miss out Map of Bones.

Happy reading!