I thought to check in with two book reviews, but before I begin to talk about the books at hand, I would just like to say that I am technically I've technically not started the 2020 YouTube season.
I still have some things to do before I can fully commit to you know regular frequency in uploads on YouTube.
But I aim at getting back to my regular routine in a week or so, maybe two weeks, I'll see.
But after that, I have plenty of good enlightening videos.
So yeah, back to some longer forest videos, etc.
It will be good times, a lot of enlightenment to be shared.
So yeah, stay tuned.
You can also follow me on Telegram.
First link in the description box below.
No, anyway, as you might have discerned from the title, I read Donkey Shot and Gutrech and Felix, both gifts from my loving wife.
And I read Donkey Shot earlier in no, not earlier, last year, in the autumn.
However, this is one of the few books I have not finished reading.
I stopped at the page of 110.
I will explain in a bit why I didn't finish reading it.
And just to put things into perspective, I did actually manage to finish Moby Dick, even though I didn't enjoy it in the least.
I made a video on Moby Dick, so you can go and check it out.
Just search on the channel for my book review of it.
And basically, before I begin to criticize the book, it feels bad.
I genuinely wanted to, I genuinely wanted to enjoy the book and I do realize its importance for Spanish literature, Spanish history, Spanish culture, etc.
And of course, if you are interested in Spanish culture, etc., you should read it.
Especially if you're Spanish yourself, you can read it in its original language.
I do recommend you to read it.
For me, though, I couldn't bring myself to enjoy it.
First and foremost, of course, it is a you have to understand it in the context of its time.
Donkey Shot is, in my view at least, basically a parody of previous chivalry literature.
And if you have, as when it was written, if you've only read about gallant knights who are perfectly moral and they do everything correct, yeah, then it might be refreshing to read about some complete mess up who just goes around being made a fool out of.
So I understand in the context of its time that a parody of this sort might have been very fun to read.
However, in the current year, in the West, current year of 2020, you know, we've grown up with nothing but irony, basically.
Knightly valor hasn't really been something that we have seen all too much in culture today.
So when I read something, yet another thing based on irony and parody and someone is being made a fool out of, it isn't really something that appeals to me.
Laughing at others isn't really something that appeals to me either.
You know, a bunch of people sitting around laughing at someone at his expense, not my style, not something I enjoy in the least.
That is, in my humble opinion, of course, for ironic guys.
Now I'm not saying that Donkey Shot is for ironic guys, you can definitely enjoy it.
And I will admit I chuckled to myself two times in the book because of some banter in it.
But overall I do not appreciate the ironic nature of laughing at someone.
And ultimately I will compare it to Gutreg and Felix, which contains a lot of banter, a lot of humor, you know, their dialogues, Gutrech's constant humorous dismissal of everything that is created by manlings, so men.
Very fun, but ultimately these two guys are forces of nature and you can relate to them and it's serious in a different matter, even though it's a humorous fantasy book.
So in terms of enjoyment, I yeah, I read this and I enjoyed it all.
You know, I looked forward to reading it.
This, I had to force myself to read 110 pages, then I quit because I, you know, yeah, 100 pages was enough, but I don't want to read a thousand pages of parody and Donkey Shot going around being made a fool out of.
It's not something I enjoy.
And yeah, I think I've said enough on that.
However, I will say though that this particular edition is full of notes, footnotes, so you will get a lot of information by just reading it.
So if you are, if you want a good understanding of Spanish history, etc., yeah, it's a good starting point.
And yeah, just random page here.
Footnote.
Tarquinius Superbus was the last king of Rome.
A horrible despot, etc. etc.
So you have a lot of these references to other cultural things, sort of similar as to Moby Dick.
You see these constant references to other things, which is nice.
Something else here, a reference to Jupiter or Zeus in Greek, was the supreme Roman god.
So you see a lot of these things.
I don't know how other editions are, but in that context I think this was good at least.
But anyway, I know I don't feel good by saying I don't enjoy it, but at the same time I don't want to be pretentious.
Same thing as I said when I talked about Moby Dick.
I don't want to pretend to like things just because they are a Western classic.
And it pains me, of course, if I am supposed to be a patron of Western art.
But now I have admitted that I'm in fact not.
I prefer newer things.
But you know, a book being a classic, it doesn't entitle it to being enjoyable.
Simple as that.
And for me, if I want to recommend something, I don't want someone to spend so much time reading through this when they can read through something else that can give them motivation to hit the gym or something.
And that is also a comparison.
Usually when I read books, it's to gain unique insights about a certain topic or it is to gain motivation to make either epic videos or to hit the gym or to hit or to train martial arts etc.
So I want to gain something.
I want to get a cool visual imprint in my mind, then act upon it.
So I view it as training motivation.
And if I compare this to this, yeah, this makes me want to hit the gym, to be a force of nature.
This doesn't.
This is just me sitting on the sideline laughing at a poor fellow.
And now I do feel horrible for not enjoying it, but it is what it is.
I'm not going to pretend to enjoy certain culture when I do in fact not.
And I can't in good conscience recommend something for most people.
Then again, I do recommend it if you want a good introduction to Spanish literature.
And again, it has survived for 500 years and it's been one of the most sold books ever.
So it's probably me who is special here.
Most people will probably enjoy it.
But for me, I just have to be honest, I didn't enjoy it.
Now on a similar topic regarding heroes, I talked about Mollus Darkblade in a recent video.
You can check it out.
It's a forest video log, so I'm sure you will enjoy it.
And I say there that Maul's Darkblade is an anti-hero, he's a villain, he's thoroughly vicious, but at the same time, he is a force of nature.
It contains a lot of humorous elements, but ultimately he is someone who can take what he wants, and you can sort of relate to his struggle for power at least.
So you can sort of envision yourself as him in a certain way.
Of course, he's supremely vicious, as I said, so you can't really relate on a moral level, but at least on some sort of level, at least.
Same thing, of course, here.
Two forces of nature that goes around doing epic deeds.
And I've started reading the second Witcher book.
I read the first book very good.
I will make a separate review on this because I have a few things to say.
But basically, no matter what the book contains, this is also about a powerful protagonist.
And you don't always need to have a powerful protagonist.
I've read some books by CJ Samson, the Shard Lake series.
I will make videos on those too.
And that guy is actually a hunchback, but he's still intelligent and he still gets the job done.
And he's still a professional.
So, point being, I do like a protagonist that is actually good at what he does instead of just being the punchline of a joke.
Now, another thing I would just like to point out with this, it contains three books and some short stories.
So, it's an omnibus.
Troll Slayer, Skaven Slayer, and Demon Slayer.
And the second book, Skaven Slayer, is an interesting thing that I might share with you.
So, Skaven are, as anyone who has played Total War Warhammer, familiar with, Ratman basically looks like this.
In the Empire, an Empire being basically Germany during the 1600s in a fantasy setting.
So, the threat of the Skaven, so the Ratman of the Under-Empire, it's a secret, it's an open secret.
So, the authorities are actively trying to deny that there are any Skaven.
And if anyone says they exist, they are being labelled as a heretic and an outcast.
Basically, they're being shunned, and you know, people distrust them, etc.
So, when our man Felix here is talking about it, he has to do it in hushed tones.
And when they are patrolling the sewers because they are looking for a job, so they have to take it up and they encounter the Skaven.
Most people don't see Skaven and they think they are extinct.
But if you point their existence out and if you point out the threat they are posing to the Empire, yeah, you get shunned.
So, it's quite interesting parallel to pointing out dangers but being shunned because you do so.
I'm sure many of you can relate to such a thing.
So, anyway, enough of this rambling.
I just want to, yeah, I can recommend this if you are new to Warhammer.
It can be a good starting point.
If you are already familiar with Warhammer, it can be a good continuation.
So, yeah, and again, I'm sure you will enjoy this.
Good starting point for Spanish literature, of course.
But I will be honest, I didn't enjoy it, but that is just me.
If you have read Donkey Shot and if you have any unique insights, yeah, feel free to comment below.
