How to Train Your Dragon (book)

i was idling my time away last Sunday (i was waiting for the traffic to clear so i could go home in relative peace), so i stopped at Booksale for a quick browse. after 15 minutes i grew bored and was about to leave when i glanced in a corner and saw this book (How to Train Your Dragon).

it was still in relatively good condition, which was probably why it caught my attention.

it wasn't the type of book i'd normally check out, but for some reason it called to me. i opened a few pages, and much to my surprise i was actually chuckling before i even finished a page. this rarely happens to me, so i jumped a few pages more and was promptly beguiled by several pages of illustrations inside — no they weren't particularly good or even eye-catching. but the clumsily drawn, stick-like figures (bad spelling and all) blended well with the humorous way the story was laid out.

How to Train Your Dragon is presented as a translation (originally in old Norse, according to its playfully imaginative author, Cressida Cowell) of the memoirs of a famous Viking chieftain, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (yes, that's his name) -– specifically on how he progressed from being an undersized but sensible warrior wanna-be to a still-undersized but moderately acceptable Viking hero by training his own undersized, unremarkable and ornery dragon (which he calls Toothless -– go figure).

This book is basically geared for male juveniles but grown-ups with an overdeveloped sense of humor will also appreciate its concept and humor (both slapstick and implied).

with characters endearingly named as Hiccup (son of the chieftain of the Hairy Hooligans), Thuggory (his counterpart in the Meathead tribe), Gobber the Belch, Snotface Snotlout, Dosgbreath the Duhbrain, how can you go wrong? anyway, if you're looking for mindless fun and are fond of Viking culture, How to Train Your Dragon (HTTYD) is right up your alley. enjoy.

NOTE: of course, everybody now knows that this amusing book has already been adapted into film (starring Gerard Butler, Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, etc.) by DreamWorks -- it is one of the top boxoffice earners for 2010 after all. however, there's a world of difference between the movie and book versions of HTTYD. and although i loved the film, i would have to say that the book version has a unique brand of attraction that will probably never translate well into film.

revisiting Ladyhawke

last night, i was finally able to watch Ladyhawke – probably the most memorable fantasy picture i've seen (with the single exception of LOTR, which is the gold standard for all fantasy flicks as far as i'm concerned).

i saw this film years ago, and i remember diligently searching for a copy of it (vcd, dvd, blue-ray) afterwards in local video stores, including trips to tiangge stalls that specialize in pirated goodies, with zero results. fortunately, my younger sister sent a batch of DVDs last week — and to my utter delight, Ladyhawke was actually in that pile.

featuring michelle pfeiffer, rutger hauer and a youthful matthew broderick, this 1985 film combines an irresistible mix of fantasy, romance, action (swords and stuff), with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. what made this movie click for me was its note-perfect cast, beautiful storyline and gorgeous locations. however, i will have to note that i found the use of contemporary tracks rather jarring.

the film's premise: Isabeau (pfeiffer) and Navarre (hauer) are the star-crossed lovers cursed by the cruel and evil bishop of Aquila, who wants Isabeau for himself, to be…

always together, eternally apart
as long as the sun rises and sets
as long as there is day and night
and for as long as they both shall live…

by day Isabeau turns into a hawk, and by night Navarre becomes a wolf. to escape the bishop's vengeful clutches, the fugitive pair travels together, but never simultaneously in their human form — never able to communicate or even catch a glimpse of the other. along the way, they encounter Mouse (broderick), a thief who had escaped from the dungeons of Aquila…

michelle pfeiffer never looked so enchanting and hauntingly ethereal (it darn near breaks your heart), and rutger hauer — one of the most underrated actors around — is dashing and irresistible as a brooding romantic lead. for once, matthew broderick looks appropriately young and irreverent in his pivotal role as a comic relief and reluctant conduit to the doomed pair. his cheeky remarks to God, as he squirms and cons his way out of trouble, serve as a droll commentary throughout the film; it saves Ladyhawke from becoming too serious for its own good.

Peter Jackson and Temeraire

boy, was i glad to hear that Peter Jackson -- he of the Lord of the Rings (LOTR; based on J.R.R. Tolkien's books) films fame -- had acquired the film rights and was making plans to adapt Naomi Novik's Temeraire series to the big screen.

i have managed to read the first five books of this popular fantasy series (His Majesty's Dragon, Throne of Jade, Black Powder War, Empire of Ivory, Victory of Eagles), and am already excited to see the whole thing come to life in the silver screen.

Ms. Novik's deft touch in incorporating thrilling action and fantasy elements (dragons!) against a sweeping historical backdrop (Napoleonic wars) resonates with me particularly, because i just happen to love both topics. in this sense, she reminds me of Susanna Clarke whose elegantly crafted Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell has enthralled and satisfied me on several levels, a feat that only a few books have managed to do.



but before this can come to pass, we can all look forward to watching that well-loved LOTR prequel, The Hobbit. The first of this two-part huge film production, both of which will be directed by Peter Jackson, is scheduled to appear in theaters late in 2012.