Shah's thoughts

into the lands of Narnia

saya dah beli buku Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis sejak 2 tahun lepas tapi baru minggu lepas saya rasa penuh semangat dan ingin tahu pasal chronicle ni. <- kes jatuh cintun sama Prince Caspian the tenthhh la ni :)

and voila! citer ni sangat best!!! rasa bestnya tak sama macam harry potter di mana bleh rasa masuk dalam dunia tu dan merasa emosi mr potter. tapi the magic of Narnia is different.

instead of explaining the magic behind every norms of our lives, Narnia seeks to inform you of another land entirely...

sigh- setakat ni dah habiskan the Magician's Nephew dan the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. baru je start baca the Horse and his Boy. memang asyik dan thought-opening tapi memandangkan hidup perlu juga diisi dengan berinteraksi dengan manusia dan pergi bekerja mencari rezeki yang halal, saya berhenti sebelum berjanji nak sambung balik petang ni (^^,)t

here's the wiki-wiki notes on the delicious Narnia :)

The seven books

The Chronicles of Narnia have been in continuous publication since 1954 and have sold over 100 million copies in 41 languages. Lewis was awarded the 1956 Carnegie Medal for The Last Battle, the final book in the Narnia series. The books were written by Lewis between 1949 and 1954 but were not written entirely in either the order they were originally published or in the chronological order in which they are currently presented. The seven books that make up The Chronicles of Narnia are presented here:

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, completed in the spring of 1949 and published in 1950, tells the story of four ordinary children: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie. They discover that the wardrobe in an old professor's house leads to the magical land of Narnia, currently under the spell of a witch. The children fulfill an ancient, mysterious prophecy as they help Aslan save Narnia from the evil White Witch who has reigned over the kingdom of Narnia for a hundred years.

Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (1951)

Completed in the autumn of 1949 and published in 1951, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia tells the story of the Pevensie children's second trip to Narnia (after 1300 years in Narnian timeline), during which they discover that Miraz, uncle of Prince Caspian, had forced him to flee into the woods and usurped the throne, declaring himself a king. Once again, the children set out to save Narnia, aided by the Narnians and ultimately by Aslan to return the throne to the rightful ruler, Prince Caspian.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)

Completed in the winter of 1950 and published in 1952, The Voyage of the ‘Dawn Treader’ returns Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their priggish cousin, Eustace Scrubb, to Narnia. Once there, they join Caspian's voyage to find the seven lords who were banished when Miraz took over the throne. This perilous journey brings them face to face with many wonders and dangers as they sail toward Aslan's country at the end of the world.

The Silver Chair (1953)

Completed in the spring of 1951 and published in 1953, The Silver Chair is the first book without the Pevensie children. Instead, Aslan calls Eustace back to Narnia together with his classmate Jill Pole. There they are given four clues to find Prince Rilian, Caspian's son, who had been kidnapped ten years earlier. Eustace and Jill, with the help of Puddleglum the Marsh-wiggle and many others, face great danger before finding Rilian.

The Horse and His Boy (1954)

Completed in the spring of 1950 and published in 1954, The Horse and His Boy is the first of the books that does not follow the previous one sequentially; instead, it takes place during the reign of the Pevensies in Narnia, an era which begins and ends in the last chapter of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The story is about Bree, a talking horse, and Shasta, a young boy, who have both been held (albeit separately) in bondage in Calormen, a country to the south of Narnia. By chance, they meet each other and plan their return to Narnia and freedom. On their journey they discover that the Calormenes are about to invade Archenland, and they plan to arrive there first to alert the King.

The Magician’s Nephew (1955)

Completed in the winter of 1954 and published in 1955, the prequel The Magician's Nephew brings the reader back to the very beginning of Narnia where we learn how Aslan created the world and how evil first entered it. Another group of people from Earth stumble into Narnia via an entirely different route. Many long-standing questions about Narnia are answered, such as how inter-world travel was made possible, how a lamp post came to be in a woodland and where the wardrobe came from.

The Last Battle (1956)

Completed in the spring of 1953 and published in 1956, The Last Battle chronicles the end of the world of Narnia. Jill and Eustace return to save Narnia from Shift, an ape, who tricks Puzzle, a donkey, into impersonating the lion Aslan.

Reading order

Fans of the series often have strong opinions over the correct ordering of the books. When the books were originally published, they were not numbered. The first American publisher, Macmillan, put numbers on the books in the order in which they were published. When HarperCollins took over the series in 1994, the books were renumbered using the internal chronological order, as suggested by Lewis' stepson, Douglas Gresham.

Publication order	Chronological order
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe	The Magician's Nephew
Prince Caspian	The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader	The Horse and His Boy
The Silver Chair	Prince Caspian
The Horse and His Boy	The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Magician's Nephew	The Silver Chair
The Last Battle	The Last Battle

i really like the story!

someone to watch over me

by my fave author, JMN, as in Judith McNaught :)

i've read this a few years ago. yet, bila tak jumpa buku JQ, Julia Quinn to the uninitiated, i gambled and bought this one instead, hoping that i haven't bought this one at home yet.

the story is simple. about having faith. in goodness of every person, regardless of how they looked. and that, even though u felt that yr world has tumbled down, some times along the way, u'll find someone to watch over u n pick u up.

michael valente is one of my fave fictional guys. he's... well, he's someone i'd love to have as a gallant knight of my own. sensitive, understanding, devil-may-care, a loner, a brilliant strategist, powerful, ruthless sometimes and simply devoted. most importantly, he got a heart. a wonderful heart..

i could fall in love with him if he's real.. ~sigh

u know what, as he's italian, i pictured him as Milo Ventimiglia. before this actor became the pivotal person in Heroes, he was jesse in the gilmore girls. scruffy, misunderstood, yet charming nonetheless :)

best kan? this book is a good read when u r feeling down yrself...

the book (and music) from the past

chartbreak by gillian cross

Came out of Birmingham with nothing.

Junked the name and face I used to wear.

When your flesh and blood don't give a damn.

Your luggage doesn't hold much from before . . .

Finch is alone in a motorway café, desperate to leave home. The scruffy lads at the next table say they're a rock band and they challenge her to show she can sing. Then and there. They annoy her so much that she does - and suddenly she's in the band.

They're on the way to fame, but the band is dominated by the brooding menace of Christie, the lead singer. Finch can't make up her mind how she feels about him.

Is it hate - or something else . . . ?

-> i remembered this book fondly. it was one of my fave back in high school. being a misunderstood teen, rebellious and all that hooplas-

and in true account of my past, this book reminds me so much of no doubt's tragic kingdom album. the finch-christie characters do echo gwen-tony relationship so much.. i mean, being inspired by the same energy, it is only fitting that they feel the strong bond to each other..

this is the cover of the hippie days- i admit, now and then, i got the twinge listening to don't speak, D dedicated the song to me when we're estranged, back in year 1998...

"Don't Speak" by no doubt

You and me
We used to be together
Everyday together always
I really feel
That I'm losing my best friend
I can't believe
This could be the end
It looks as though you're letting go
And if it's real
Well I don't want to know

Don't speak
I know just what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't tell me cause it hurts
Don't speak
I know what you're thinking
I don't need your reasons
Don't tell me cause it hurts

Our memories
Well, they can be inviting
But some are altogether
Mighty frightening
As we die, both you and I
With my head in my hands
I sit and cry

Don't speak
I know just what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't tell me cause it hurts (no, no, no)
Don't speak
I know what you're thinking
I don't need your reasons
Don't tell me cause it hurts

It's all ending
I gotta stop pretending who we are...
You and me I can see us dying...are we?

Don't speak
I know just what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't tell me cause it hurts (no, no, no)
Don't speak
I know what you're thinking
I don't need your reasons
Don't tell me cause it hurts
Don't tell me cause it hurts!
I know what you're saying
So please stop explaining

Don't speak,
don't speak,
don't speak,
oh I know what you're thinking
And I don't need your reasons
I know you're good,
I know you're good,
I know you're real good
Oh, la la la la la la La la la la la la
Don't, Don't, uh-huh Hush, hush darlin'
Hush, hush darlin' Hush, hush
don't tell me tell me cause it hurts
Hush, hush darlin' Hush, hush darlin'
Hush, hush don't tell me tell me cause it hurts

maybe i am born a loner... oh,well.

books i love to have ^o^

i love to read. ever since i was small, reading has always been my black hole, a haven of pleasure-filled refuge.

mine.

will you believe me that i once spent my free time reading stpm history text books just because my house n the school library run out on new readable books? i was having such a boring time after the upsr finished that i resorted to reading such an advanced material..

to this day, reading has always been a pleasure. back at home no.7, the guest room already has a fairly extensive book collection. by this rate, i think, i'll need to find bigger racks and establish my personal library at home no.7 :p

here's a few that i wish to have soon :)

1. julia quinns
2. disney hard cover reading collection <- sentimental reasons, they are my first reading collection when i was 9 years old
3. a series of unfortunate events <- i promised ayin these
4. Protokol & etiket dalam pengurusan dan menghadiri majlis - mokhtar mohd tohar, INTAN
5. judith mcnaughts
6. p.s. i love u <- promoted by kakak buku vot

there are many, you know. but as usual, they come in drizzle :)

update later, then~

pasca Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince weekend

Finally, i've finished reading the latest edition of the HP saga and it left me with a sentimental sentiment. give or take, this book might seem insipid (lack of adventure n other adrenaline pumping stuffs) if it wasn't for the romantic development of the kids. yet, i returned the book to the counter with a heavy heart, i wished i could take it home instead!

the 5 hours spent reading the story at mph midvalley seem to be lost in minutes as i was immersed in the fantasy world of harry. and when i finished the last words, i was touched by the emotions shared between the characters, namely Mr Potter and Miss Weasley.

indeed, it's the kind of relationship that i look for but not yet find. the connection when whenever we look at each other, we understand what each other feels and thinks... it's so simple, needless of declaration of undying love nor elaborate demonstration of affection. just spending the time together reading comfortably in each other's company~

the thing is... we often wish for something in our life. be it riches, respects, power and even love. and to me, the only thing that makes the world worth living is the love we have for everyone and for the one we really care about. my dear sister ami once asked me, what's the difference between wanting and loving. or in her words, org yg kita nak dan org yg kita syg. that time we're discussing about choice-marriage and arranged-marriage. i first stated that when a man and a woman have made commitment that they love each other and seal the relationship with marriage, it's much different from arranged marriage when both person will often speculate what the other is feeling/thinking n will only learn to love bcos he/she is her/his partner. here the question arose, what's wrong with loving after marriage? kenapa perlu ada beza antara org yg kita cintai dan kahwini dgn org yg kita kahwini dan cintai?

sy sgt menyayangi sahabat2 sy. sgt syg... if anything bad happens to them, i wouldn't hesitate to share their pain or offer to take their place if that could make them smile again and believe in God's love.

befriending good male frens ( i couldn't mention all yr names but u'll know who u really are :p), i love them to the same equal of how i love Ja, Inda, Zie, Azah, Aziah, Sha, Ina, K.Huda (the list goes......) but somehow, it never transcend to the faith that one of them will be the happiest having me as his life companion.

that's the key word. "nak" involves passionate love with the faith that he is the only right person for me and i am the only right person for him. with that faith, there will be commitment of trust and companionship between the both of us. once married, the pasion will be shared and we'll try to live the happiest as we could.

as for "syg", love comes bcos we learn to accept the fate that we're married, thus, we should make the best of it. to the unfortunates, there will be a reservation that maybe our spouse wants someone else, and that we're lacking in some ways. here, the full-hearted trust is never shared. somehow, the suspicion will linger...

coming to the conclusion, regardless of how love is felt, it's up to u to decide whether u'll prefer choice-marriage or arranged-marriage and then give yr best in making yr marriage works..

as to me, i wish that the man i'm marrying to be the best of what Allah has given me, a man whom i won't be waking up wondering whether there'll be a much better man for me to share my passionate emotions with~

so hope that explanation clears up yr puzzle, dear minkus :)