Fantasy books series part 1

1. LOTR Series by J.R.R. Tolkien
iRead: Indonesian version (GPU)
LOTR is one of the best fantasy stories ever written. Full with details such as elves’ language, hobbit’s house, and king man’s kinship, LOTR emphasize in friendship and struggle for freedom and protect the earth. Start with The Hobbit first to know how the ring became Bilbo’s possession before he passed in (unwillingly) to Frodo. Frodo with advice from Gandalf the Wizard set a journey to destroy the ring and defeat Sauron with other hobbits, Sam, Merry, and Pippin and find friends and enemies along the way. Meet Aragorn, the lone ranger with heavy responsibility, Gimli and Legolas, dwarf and elf that keep argue each other before became best friend, and other characters such as Boromir, Galadriel, Tom Bombadil that will capture readers’ heart.
Even though this story ends happy, but as the reality, some things that already missing cannot be undo and we just life our life as best as we can. Good lesson!
Love it. From 1 to 10, I give 50 stars. hahahaha!

2. Harry Potter Series by J.K Rowling
iRead: Indonesian & English version (GPU & Bloomsbury)
A complete package contain 7 books with three supporting extras (Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through The Ages, and Tales of Bettle The Bard) full with fantasy, action, romance, drama and philosophy with amazing details. Everybody will love this books (unless the die-hard-fantasy-haters).
The story develop around Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived after a family murder attempt conducted by his soon-became-arch-nemesis, Lord Voldemort or You-Know-Who. In the attempt, Harry’s parent die and he became orphan and raise by his worst-than-hell muggle (non-magic) aunt’s family. He enters Hogwarts School of wizard and became friend with two students. The books follow his school life (fight with fellow student, argue with teacher, and do some mischievous) along side his life-or-death battle with Voldemort and Death Eaters. Friendship, love, compassion, loyalty, bravery, intelligent, and especially death is the focus of this series. Many characters die in the middle of the stories, but that’s just life, when death come, we cannot run from it.
50 stars too!

3. Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
iRead: Indonesian version (GPU)
Tittle: Amulet of Samarkand, Golem's Eye, Ptolemy's Gate. You will laugh at every sarcastic remark from Bartimaeus (if you able to understand sarcasm of course). Bartimaeus is a jin, a very annoying, proud, and sarcastic jin, who love to tease and make comment about anything (mostly human defective). He was summoned by young brilliant wizard with no direction, Nathaniel, to steal Amulet of Samarkand, and that’s when all the trouble begins. Bartimaeus also meet other jin whose he fight at his past time (and able to escape in some sneaky fashion). Bartimaeus also became friends with Kitty, an ordinary human who hate wizard.
While Nathaniel career in Ministry rising (and also his ego), Bartimaeus get caught in many near-to-death problem that caused by some group that want to triumph the wizard government plotted by wizards and jin. Wonderful ending, very brilliant! Stroud’s best work so far!
50 stars too? :D

4. Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson
iRead: Indonesian version (GPU)
Baru ada tiga buku yang diterjemahkan ke bahasa Indonesia (English version sudah sampai buku 5 dan akhir tahun ini akan terbit buku 6). Cerita dari sudut padang seorang remaja mutan hasil cangkokan (98% manusia 2% burung) bernama Max yang bersama kelima teman/keluarganya (mutan juga) melarikan diri dari Jas Putih, ilmuan2 yang melakukan eksperimen terhadap mereka. Apa yang seru dari cerita ini? Kelucuan mereka yang bergaya sarcasm, pertarungan yang keren abis melawan Eraser (mutan manusia-serigala), kisah cinta Max dan Fang, kekonyolan Iggy dan Gaser, kemampuan mereka yang terus meningkat, pencarian keluarga dan jati diri, dan tentu saja terbang.
Mmmm, 35 bintang? Hehhee apa gunanya gw kasih skala 1-10 yah? :p

5. His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
iRead: Indonesian version (GPU)
Three books : Golden Compass (Northern Lights in some countries), The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. Fresh and original! Never read something like this before. Compass that could answer your entire question (if you know how to ask), knife that could cut the air and created a door to other world (if you know how to operate it of course), fight against the Authority (kind of God), and how good things could lead someone to do bad and vice versa. A bit shocking end, not as people predicted. Favorit gw the Subtle Knife (buku 2) waktu Lyra ketemu Will.
30 stars (ok, lets change the scale 1-50)

To be continued…

Lighthouse Family - Postcard From Heaven

If you never, say goodbye
To the best thing in your life
There are things you don't appreciate
At all
So it's best that you don't try
Holding back the time
Are you ever, gonna be
Quite satisfied
(Chorus)
Postcard from heaven
Go to where you belong
Never find the perfect situation
Till you know where your from
If you ever, say goodbye
No regrets, I won't ask why
And I wish you all the best love
In the world
Should you ever, change your mind
Oh bring back the sunshine
Why you ever, gonna be
Quite satisfied
(Chorus)
Postcard from heaven
Go to where you belong
Never find the perfect situation
Till you know where your from
(Repeat chorus twice)
(Fade)

Soneta XVII - Pablo Neruda

Aku tak mencintaimu seolah-olah kau adalah serbuk mawar, atau batu topaz,
atau panah anyelir yang menyalakan api.
Aku mencintaimu seperti sesuatu dalam kegelapan yang harus dicintai,
secara rahasia, diantara bayangan dan jiwa.

Aku mencintaimu seperti tumbuhan yang tak pernah mekar
tetapi membawa dalam dirinya sendiri cahaya dari bunga-bunga yang tersembunyi;
Terimakasih untuk cintamu suatu wewangian padat,
bermunculan dari dalam tanah, hidup secara gelap di dalam tubuhku.

Aku mencintaimu tanpa tahu mengapa, atau kapan, atau darimana
Aku mencintaimu lurus, tanpa macam-macam tanpa kebanggaan;
Demikianlah aku mencintaimu karena aku tak tahu cara lainnya

Beginilah: dimana aku tiada, juga kau,
Begitu dekat sehingga tanganmu di dadaku adalah tanganku,
Begitu dekat sehingga ketika matamu terpejam akupun jatuh tertidur.