Tag: Apollo

Gabbler Reviews The Philosopher Kings by Jo Walton

Posted on by blablablaandgabbler

The Philosopher Kings (Thessaly, #2)The Philosopher Kings by Jo Walton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So, B.L.A.’s predictions weren’t entirely accurate (see: https://circodelherreroseries.com/2015…), but there’s still one more book to go, so I’m not throwing out the prophesies just yet!

I was a bit (rather, a LOT) disappointed with this sequel because it took a step back from the intellectual momentum it built up in the first. It suffers from “second novel syndrome” in that it trudges through the plot just so it can finally arrive were it really wanted to go all along: Book 3.

Another qualm I have with the book is that it has a lady in a refrigerator–a woman dies for the sake of male character development. Right off the bat.

Beyond these, though, the weird “superpowers” given to the too-many-to-remember children of Apollo can be forgiven; the rickety deus ex machina of Zeus can be forgiven; the jarring sci-fi twist can be forgiven… Why? Because the philosophical topics the story continues to explore are its main saving grace.

But can it be this series’ continued salvation?

View all my reviews

“Homer’s description of these metallic ladies as accomplished, smart, and strong has surprisingly modern ring: they are…”

Posted on by blablablaandgabbler

“In ancient Greece and Rome, small female figures made of clay, ivory, and even bone had articulated hands and legs fastened using pins or wire so that they could look animated when shaken or moved. In Greece, the figures were often too fragile to be toys; instead, they were used as votives or offerings to the gods placed in household shrines, temples, burial sites, and graves where they could also be protective devices or prized possessions of the deceased. Young girls offered the doll figures to Apollo, Artemis, and Aphrodite before their marriages to ensure that they would attain a healthy, functioning female body that produced and nourished children, the ideal of ancient Greek femininity.

The Idea of automatons – self-moving female and male figures – had been around since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians produced animated, hot air-driven statues used for religious and political purposes, and in Greece some of the oldest female figures were described in Homer’s epic poem The Iliad where Hephaestus, the blacksmith of the gods (later called Vulcan by the Romans) is helped by two maidservants as he goes about making a shield for Achilles. In Homer’s ancient Greece, women (apart from the great goddesses like Aphrodite and Athena) were largely consigned to loom and family, but Homer’s description of these metallic ladies as accomplished, smart, and strong has surprisingly modern ring: they are

all cast in was gold but a match for living breathing girls / Intelligence fills their hearts, voice, and strength their frames, / From the deathless gods they’ve learned their works of hand. “

From My Fair Ladies by Julie Wosk.

[“BLA and GB Gabbler” (really just a pen name – singular) are the Editor and Narrator behind THE AUTOMATION, vol. 1 of the Circo del Herrero series. They are on facebook, twitter, tumblr, goodreads, and Vulcan’s shit list.]

all yellowB&N | Amazon | Etc.

#BLAThoughtOfTheDay: Only dipping your toe

Posted on by blablablaandgabbler

blog1

Gabbler recently recommended Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis. I, however, have reservations about recommending the book (yes, I have read it too).

As someone who may be particularly knowledgeable about what it is to be a non-human animal, let me say this. While the fable itself is fine, and the scenario is certainly interesting (Hermes and Apollo give human intelligence to fifteen dogs they find at a veterinary clinic for a bet to see whether or not even one of those dogs will die happy), the story ultimately has little impact on how we understand our own said “intelligence” or the human-animal relationship.

Dogs were chosen as the subject for the experiment, and, since so, a population from a more diverse pool should have been employed. I was disappointed that no dogs from, say, a kill shelter were involved, no dogs from a dog fighting ring were involved, no dogs from the meat trade were even thoughts. The dog characters did not have diverse backgrounds, and how might that have changed the story? This was one way Apollo, Hermes, and Alexis himself avoided real dog-specific issues. None of the dogs really had to grapple with the higher forms of exploitation and oppression their own species faces every day at the hands of human intelligence. Instead, we get a thought about what dog culture might be if dogs could analyze it as such. But what is culture when in reality there are so few instances of allowing them to even exist together? Perhaps Alexis should have considered rez dogs or even wolves. They already have a social structure that need not be contrived.

The story focuses on the symbol of the collar and leash, dominance in a pack/household, the existential nature of dogs trying to be dogs despite a human mind. This dance around the real plights a canine faces in our world ultimately made it a too-comfortable read, and, I think, kept the humans in the story (and the humans reading the story) from being confronted with the evils and sadness “human intelligence” is capable of.

But the bet itself was cool. Gods should gamble more often. Oh wait, that’s all they do.

[“BLA and GB Gabbler” (really just a pen name – singular) are the Editor and Narrator behind THE AUTOMATION, vol. 1 of the Circo del Herrero series. They are on facebook, twitter, tumblr, goodreads, and Vulcan’s shit list.]

all yellowB&N | Amazon | Etc.

 

This post was updated in 2024.

May roundup: Juno the meaning of love?

Posted on by blablablaandgabbler
This Juno.

Well, it’s that time of year again – JUNE. The time for weddings. Just ask Juno, Queen of the gods and goddess of marriage. She knows alllll about marriage. Believe me. Hers has been a roller coaster. Marriage on the rocks? She feels yah.

Anyways.

Dare we ask how many weddings are booked on your calendar this year?

If you’ve been crashing too many and haven’t been paying attention to this CIRCO blog, here’s what you’ve missed:

Not this Juno.

News broke that Homer’s Odyssey is being adapted into a legit film by the Hunger Games directer and we’re super excited.

BLA gave some predictions for Jo Walton’s newest book in her Thessaly series.

We made fun of James Patterson.

And, as always, Gabbler Recommended some things and BLA had some thoughts and be sure to check out our Tweets of the Week.

Farewell, May. Don’t forget your pole on your way out.

[“BLA and GB Gabbler” (really just a pen name – singular) are the Editor and Narrator behind THE AUTOMATION, vol. 1 of the Circo del Herrero series. They are on facebook, twitter, tumblr, goodreads, and Vulcan’s shit list.]

all yellow B&N | Amazon | Etc.

#BLAThoughtOfTheDay: TWO predictions for the number TWO book in the Thessaly Series by Jo Walton

Posted on by blablablaandgabbler

Two book predictions for the number two book in the Thessaly series:

If you haven’t read THE JUST CITY, then don’t read these SPOILERS underlying my predictions for THE PHILOSOPHER KINGS (out June 30, 2015). Disclaimer: I have not received an advanced copy and these are just guesses (but I would gladly check myself before I wreck myself, dear publisher Tor. SEND ME A COPY). Though, I have read the first chapter online for free.

Prediction #1: Athena (AKA Athene) will be redeemed in some way. She kind of came off as an irrational jerk in the last one. Aaaand, she also — shall we say — fudged the data in her “experiment,” which made her seem like a cheater who was more guilty than clever. My guess is Athena will admit to wanting the experiment to fail. Maybe so far as for the purpose of teaching her brother an elaborate lesson. Give Athena some credit, I mean. She’s the motherf*cking goddess of wisdom, man. Only she could have pulled off such an elaborate scam — and get the god Apollo to fall for it. And let’s be honest. Apollo raped someone. IN THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK. Won’t say he wouldn’t deserve it.

Prediction #2: Pytheas/Apollo will sacrifice himself. He is an incarnation, after all. It’s bound to happen. What kind of a god would waste a perfectly good body on old age? (Cough, cough).

So, there you have it. If you’ve read the first book, what are your predictions? If you’ve got your hands on an ARC copy of the second, shut up and give it to me.

[BLA and GB Gabbler (really just a pen name – singular) are the Editor and Narrator behind THE AUTOMATION, vol. 1 of the Circo del Herrero series. They are on facebook, twitter, tumblr, goodreads, and Vulcan’s shit list.]

all yellow B&N | Amazon | Etc.