Smooinaghtyn: September 2013

Monday, 30 September 2013

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 39

Jerrey nuyoo hiaghtin jeih as feed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Skeeal far-skeealaght heanse bentyn rish ynlaght noa: saase dy vaylartey stoo eddyr rieaughidyn, as myr shen dy gheddyn bree. Ta'n ynlaght shen stiurey bishaghey deiney rish bleeantyn, as shimmey eiyrtys mie t'echey, agh ta fer ny ghaa feddyn magh dy vel eiyrtys atçhimagh ry-heet. Ta'n skeeal rheynnit ayns tree: rheynn 'sy theihll ain, rheynn meanagh ayns 'sy rieughid elley, as jerrey 'sy teihll ain myrgeddin. T'eh castreycair, agh er lhiam nagh row y mean wheesh mie; s'doillee ass towse eh screeu ass tuarym cretoor ass rieughid elley, dy shickyr, as dennee mee dy row y rheynn shen trome as beggan moal, ga dy row anaase echey. Er lhiam dy row eh soilshaghey bea as aigney ny cretooryn elley, son y chooid smoo, as ga dy row ny cooishyn shen anaasoil dy liooar ny keayrtyn, cha row ad agh bentynagh rish y skeeal hene. Ny yei shen, ghow mee soylley jeh'n oik-reill as politickaght ho-chredjue lhiett sleih voish feaysley ny doilleeidyn v'ayn. As cha ren Asimov eab moal er screeu ass tuarym joarree noadyr.

Haganai y.l. 2 (Hirasaka Yomi)

Skeeal aitt elley mychione possan dy 'leih aegey gyn caarjyn, er y fa dy vel ad quaagh dy liooar. T'ee ommidjagh, agh cha nel mee shassoo noi 'sy skeeal shoh. Ghow mee ram soylley jee. Chionnee mee ish son lioar aashagh ayns shiaghtin chreoi; cha nel ee ass y charnane, atreih!

Haganai y.l. 3 (Hirasaka Yomi)

Rere heose.

The end of week thirty-nine of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:

The Gods Themselves (Isaac Asimov)

A hardish sci-fi story about a new invention: a way to obtain limitless energy by exchanging matter with parallel universes with different natural laws. The invention determines human development for years, with many admirable results, but a small group of scientists discover some terrible consequences to come. The story's in three parts, with the middle section in the parallel universe. To be honest I found this a bit mediocre; with the difficulty of writing from an alien point of view in an alien culture, the section felt quite stodgy, heavily focused on expositing the aliens' (admittedly semi-interesting) lives and mostly tangential at best to the rest of the story. On the other hand, I enjoyed the believable way that bureaucracy, politics and personal interests obstructed the good of humanity. Asimov's characterisation continues to feel a little bit lacking, but it's by no means awful.

Haganai v. 2 (Hirasaka Yomi)

Another fun read about a group of teenagers who don't have any real friends because they're all bizarre. It's daft, but I don't have a problem with this kind of daftness here. I enjoyed it; sadly these are something I bought for an easy read in a tough week, so they don't shrink the pile.

Haganai v. 3 (Hirasaka Yomi)

As above.

Monday, 23 September 2013

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 38

Jerrey hoghtoo hiaghtin jeih as feed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

The Mammoth book of short fantasy novels (ymmodee)

As ish ny lioar-haglymit, verrym shilley bieau da dagh skeeal. Trooid as trooid ghow mee ram soylley assjee; va skeeal ayn nagh b'vooar lhiam ee, as daa elley as troyn oc voir orrym.

"The Gate of the Flying Knives" liorish Poul Anderson. Tappee as lane anaase; she contoyrtys beg t'ayn, picaresque as pishagys anaasoil aynjee.
"Unicorn Tapestry" liorish Suzy McKee Charnas. Fansee "jeianagh" beggan quaagh, lane dy chooid fallsoonagh-shickoaylleeagh v'ad coontey mooar jeh ayns ny 1970yn. Ben-hickoayllee smooinee er va surransagh oc ny hooder-folley ny dyn, as er jibbag. Ronsaghey ennagh er aigney ben 'sy çhymbyllaght shen, foddey, agh cha by vooar lhiam ee, chamoo v'ee olk. Quaagh, shen ooilley.
"Sleep Well of Nights" liorish Avram Davidson. Skeeal neughooghyssagh, cha nee fansee hene t'ayn. V'ee meein as kenjal, as ga dy row eh dooillee toiggal eh ny keayrtyn, ghow mee soylley jeh.
"Black Heart and White Heart" liorish H. Rider Haggard. Contoyrtys-yillyn rere y çhenn aght 'syn Affrick. Ta contoyrtyssagh bane ayn, lane henelys as kialgagh dy lioor; dy cadjin ta'n lheid screeuit myr ard-charracteyr y skeeal, as yn ughtar gyn cur enney da falleilys yn 'er, agh ta Haggard toiggal dy mie. Ta'n skeeal feeit mygeayrt cummaght olk yn 'er, as she ny fir ghorrym ta feniee y skeeal, ga dy vel drogh-ir nyn mast'oc myrgeddin. Beggan creoi ny keayrtyn, er coontey reddyn olk ta taghyrt, agh mie dy liooar.
"Red Nails" liorish Robert E Howard. Um. Wahll, by vie lhiam y chaayr ard-yindyssagh varroo, as ny cummaltee keoie as y sheer-chaggey folley eddyr oc, as y caggey noi y jiolgan atçhimagh. Agh t'eh goaill toshiaght marish ben-feniagh ta goll er ceau magh rish duillag ny ghaa er son Conan. As ta Conan, 'sy skeeal shoh, ny vaarder as ny vock mooar, ta loaghtey y ven noi e mian tra t'ad shirrey aght dy scapail y veishteig. Cha nel tro erbee echey ta feeu yindys agh y schlei caggee echey. Atreih.
"Storm in a Bottle" liorish John Jakes. Skeeal aitt, as y karracteyr shirrey aght dy scapail ny mooie-cheeaylley ree as y pishagagh echey, as y jees oc lane chialg.
"Ill Met in Lankhmar" liorish Fritz Leiber. Screeut dy mie, as lane phishagys quaagh as dorraghey. Ta'n skeeal hene dorraghey dy liooar, agh she contoyrtys mie t'ayn ny yei shen. By vie lhiam ny karracteyryn, as by hreih lhiam dy varr eh ny mraane - dennee mee dy row blass beg "fridging" er shen, ga nagh row yn eie shen ayn tra screeu eh eh.
"The Lands Beyond the World" liorish Michael Moorcock. Feer whaagh, agh ayns aght mie. Ta Moorcock jannoo obbyr 'ondagh jeh seihll ashlishagh as ard-charracteyr nagh vel ny ghooinney agh red ennagh elley. Ghow mee ram soylley jeh.
"A Man and His God" liorish Janet Morris. Ach. Hoshiaght, cha nel eh baghtal ny ta taghyrt ny keayrtyn, ny cre'n fa, as t'eh doo dy liooar. Cha by vie lhiam aght Morris lesh y charracteyr "Ilsig", noadyr. V'eh feer faggys da'n aght screeu ad er sleabyn gorrym. Ta'n cailtynagh Ilsigagh gymmyrkey gollrish moddey thie rere coontey Morris, as t'eh gooashlaghey yn ard-charracteyr Tempus dy bolvaneagh. Rish duillag ny ghaa ta Tempus torçhaghey y fer boght dys raad y vaaish, agh cha doig mee y chabil shen rish tammylt; chreid mee hoshiaght dy row ad jannoo jibbag, faggys, 'syn aght quaagh t'eh screeuit - as ta'n cailtynagh boght foast cur graih er! Agh t'eh leodaghey foast, chaardjyn. Ta'n broutid shen er y fa dy cheayll Tempus coraa y chailtynagh 'sy thie raad v'eshyn ny chappee as goll er torçhaghey. Gyn gra dy row laue yn 'er 'sy chooish shen, ny çheet er niart as aigney sleabyn, shegin da goll er marroo, rere eie Hempus. Smooinee foast, ny fir va kyndagh rish goaill as torçhaghey eh, t'eh lhiggey da fer 'sy jees goll seyr - ga dy row adsyn nyn vir jeh deiney Hempus hene ren brah eh! Shegin dou gra, cha by vooar lhiam red erbee 'sy skeeal shoh, ga dy row blass anaasoil ny ghaa aynsyn ny keayrtyn. She drogh-'er faghidagh eh yn ard-charracteyr, as cha nel Morris toiggal shen, er lhiam. Ny jumm traa er, charrey.
"Spider Silk" liorish Andre Norton. Ard-charracteyr bwoirrinagh, fy-yerrey! Skeeal feer anaasoil as noa, ga dy dod mee insh rolaue ny haghyragh dy mennick (bentyn rish yn ennym, foddee) - cha nee neuyerkallys ta jannoo skeeal mie, vel? As va reddyn ry-insh rolaue ayns ne skeealyn elley myrgeddin. Fondagh.
"Where is the Bird of Fire?" liorish Thomas Burnett Swann. Cha lhaih mee eh; rere coontey giare dennee mee dy beagh eh trimshagh, as cha row mee son shen.
"Guyal of Sfere" liorish Jack Vance. Skeeal mie, mea, noa as anaasoil. Ta pishagys quaagh as agglagh aynsyn, as by vie lhiam yn aght screeuee cramp as shenn-emshiragh v'echey. Feer vie.
"Tower of Ice" liorish Roger Zelazny. Skeeal mie elley, ass y raad cliaghtagh as lane dy reddyn neuyerkallit aym. T'eh jannoo obbyr vie lesh folliaghtyn beggey nagh vow soilshaghey erbee.

Mayo Chiki y.l. 1(Asano Hajime)

Skeeal quaagh dy liooar ayns scoill Hapaanagh, lane dy inneenyn quaaghey as guilley boght ta fud-y-cheilley bentyn rish ny reddyn quaaghey t'ad jannoo. V'eh castreycair. Ta ram cooid lieh-cheintyssagh ayns stoo Shapaanagh, er lhiam, tra nagh vel feme erbee ayn... shen quaagh dy liooar dooys.

The end of week thirty-eight of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:

The Mammoth book of short fantasy novels (various)

As it's a compilation, I'll quickly address each story. Overall I enjoyed it very much; there was one that wasn't my thing, and sadly two had aspects I was really quite uncomfortable with.

"The Gate of the Flying Knives" by Poul Anderson. Quite enjoyed this quick fantasy adventure, a sort of picaresque style with some fun magic.
"Unicorn Tapestry" by Suzy McKee Charnas. A bit odd? Modern fantasy as much as it's fantasy at all, and mostly more of that odd 70s philosopsychological stuff. Possibly supposed to be psychological drama. Not really my thing.
"Sleep Well of Nights" by Avram Davidson. An interesting supernatural tale, rather than fantasy as such, quite gentle and friendly, if occasionally slightly hard to follow.
"Black Heart and White Heart" by H. Rider Haggard. No-holds-barred boys' own adventure, with the kind of self-interested and treacherous white adventurer who's so often a protagonist, but Haggard has deliberately built this around the man's failings and the native characters are where the real action is. Slightly tough going at times as it's fairly grim, like all Haggard, but decent.
"Red Nails" by Robert E Howard. Um. Well, I like the fantastical dead city, and the psychotically feuding inhabitants, and the lich-wizard, and even the fight with the dinosaur. Only the apparent heroine gets demoted from adventuress to feeble woman after the first two pages, in favour of a Conan presented as a smug, lecherous groper with no redeeming features except combat prowess. Shame.
"Storm in a Bottle" by John Jakes. Pretty fun stuff, with our hero trying to escape treacherous wizards and kings.
"Ill Met in Lankhmar" by Fritz Leiber. A well-written, dark but enjoyable tale full of weird and sinister magic. My only real regret is that he kills off the female characters (at least one of whom's apparently competent) which felt a bit fridgy to me.
"The Lands Beyond the World" by Michael Moorcock. Weird, but in a good way. Moorcock does a good job of presenting an odd dreamworld and an inhuman protagonist, and I enjoyed this pretty well.
"A Man and His God" by Janet Morris. Most notably, it's not really clear what is happening or why in this story, and it's really quite grim at times. Morris' handling of the conquered Ilsig character was uncomfortable reading for several reasons. It's too close to old racial stereotypes, and the eunuch's worshipful style of adoring the hero, described as dog-like, contrasts with the presentation of his white adorer's affection. Within about a page the protagonist Tempus is torturing the poor eunuch and leaving it with mortal injuries, in a scene which initially seemed like it was an unexpected sex scene - in fact the scene was pretty confusing, and it took me a while to work out that Tempus was torturing the eunuch rather than just having sex with him, and that "dead by sunset" referred to horrific injuries from the torture rather than shooting the messenger. Said brutality is explicitly revenge for having heard the eunuch's voice in the building where Tempus was held captive and tortured. Because that must be proof of complicity and guilt, especially with him being a slave. It's a particularly striking contrast that Tempus lets one of the people actually responsible for his torture go free, even though the guy is actually one of his own underlings who betrayed him. I wasn't particularly impressed with any aspect of this story, even though it had some intriguing touches occasionally. Also I didn't notice any reason to care about the protagonist or find him interesting. One to skip, seriously.
"Spider Silk" by Andre Norton. Hooray, a female protagonist! An interesting and thoroughly creative tale, even though it's predictable in many plot aspects (it's not like most of the other stories aren't). Good stuff.
"Where is the Bird of Fire?" by Thomas Burnett Swann. I didn't read this because the blurb made it sound depressing.
"Guyal of Sfere" by Jack Vance. A nice, rich, creative quest tale with strange and terrible magic, in a compelling style (especially if, like me, you quite like wordy writing). Thoroughly enjoyable.
"Tower of Ice" by Roger Zelazny. Another great one, unusual and full of good and unexpected touches.

Mayo Chiki v. 1 (Asano Hajime)

A strange story set in a Japanese school (like so many), full of strange girls (ditto) and an unfortunate youth who gets dragged into their bewildering schemes (ditto). It was okay. Manga seem to be quite keen on unnecessary semi-sexual content, which I find a bit weird.

Monday, 16 September 2013

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 37

Jerrey hiaghtoo hiaghtin jeih as feed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Bakuman y.l. 18 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

Lane vie.

Va mee currit ass as fud-y-cheilley yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie liorish doilleeidyn thie. Cha row cree ny bree aym son lhaih. Chionnee mee Bakuman noa, as aalhaih reih-lioar ny ghaa nagh row feme aym er bree erbee dyn lhaih.

The end of week thirty-seven of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:

Bakuman y.l. 18 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

Great.

This week was a mess because of various home crises that sapped any will or energy for reading. I treated myself to a new Bakuman and reread a couple of old favourites that required zero effort.

Sunday, 8 September 2013

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 36

Jerrey heyoo hiaghtin jeih as feed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Bakuman y.l. 17(Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

Lane vie.

S'treih lhiam gra nagh dug mee jerrey er lioar erbee elley yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie, agh ta mee er lieh-lhaih daa. Ta mee ro-skee.

Bakuman y.l. 17(Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

Great.

Sad to say I haven't finished any other books this week, but I'm halfway through a couple. I'm worn out.

Wednesday, 4 September 2013

Beggan Gaelg

Ec y traa t'ayn, cha nel mee jannoo monney 'sy Ghaelg - jus postyn ny Shalee Lhaih as beggan veg er y wiki nish as reesht. Ta shen er ymmodee oyryn.

Shalee Lhaih

Ta mee jannoo my chooid share geill fondagh y chur da'n çhalee. Myr shen, ta mee lhaih mysh daa lioar 'sy çhiaghtin (as ny smoo dy cadjin - ta mee gobbraghey trooid kuse dy lioaryn skeealeen çhaglymit beggan er veggan, chammah's ny lane lioaryn). Cha nel mee lhian ynrican, agh screeu barel beg er dagh lioar; lieh son dy yannoo shickyr dy vel mee cur tastey daue, lieh dou cooinaghtyn ny barelyn v'ayms ec y traa, as mish lhaih wheesh nagh bee'm cooinaghtyn dy mie erreish da tammylt. Ta'n obbyr shen gee traa as soo bree; eer mannagh vel mee lhaih car y traa, s'cosoylagh nagh vel monney bree heyr aym.

Obbyr hallidagh

Ta mee jannoo obbyr hallidagh ec y traa t'ayn, ayns rheynn elley, as gobbraghey er shalee scanshoil. 'Sy staartey shoh, cha nel wheesh traa ny caa aym dy smooinaghtyn ny obbraghey er cooishyn 'sy Ghaelg. Shegin dou cur sliss fondagh dy hraa orroo dys reaghey my aigney as goaill orrym gien cooie; cha nod oo jannoo obbyr vie liorish thurrick er thurrick. As ta mee ceau ny smoo traa er co-earrooder ec y traa t'ayn, myr shen cha nel mee son ceau smoo foast orroo 'sy traa seyr aym.

Shaleeyn elley

Ta mee jannoo eab dy chur jerrey er shalee ny ghaa elley t'er fuirraghtyn orrym rish meeghyn, goaill stiagh creelaghyn-fynneigagh, troggal as peintal Dreadfleet (chionnee mee mysh blein er dy henney) do noddym eh y chloie fy-yerrey, as coorse co-earrooaght. Cha nel eh mie dou wheesh dy reddyn y ve orryms gyn jerrey, as ta mee jannoo my chooid share ad y ghlenney magh.

...chammah's shen, ren mee goaill toshiaght croo gamman ny ghaa as ta my aigney cur ram geill dou, join ny dyn.

Liorish ooilley ny cooishyn heose, cha nel eieyn aym er skeealyn ny dy chroo. As ta mee er chur Gaelg er ny skeealyn sassey dou Gaelg orroo y chur hannah, myr shen cha nel eh aasagh çhyndaayssyn noa y yannoo noadyr. Cha nel monney stoo cooie as mie ry-gheddyn ass coip-chiart, as ta sleih elley (Nat Ní Shim, myr sampleyr) cur Gaelg er lioaryn jeianagh fo chied yn ughtar - cha nel peiagh erbee shirrey orryms shen y yannoo.

Lhag-chreeaght

Ta lhag-chreeaght orryms, as myr shen cha nel wheesh bree aym er chor erbee. Chammah's shen, s'doillee dou jannoo reddyn moal, ny reddyn nagh vel gientyn freggyrt erbee. S'mie lhiam ass towse y Ghaelg - agh cha nel peiagh erbee lhaih y blog shoh aym, as cha nel agh tree jin gobbraghey er y wiki son y chooid smoo, ny loayrt er ayns buill elley noadyr. T'ad coloayrt rish y cheilley 'syn 'eill foddey jeem ayns Mannin, ny er Facebook as y lheid; cha nel ad lhiah ny ta mee dy screeu, ny my ta, cha nel ad loayrt er. Cha nel eh dy my ghreinnaghey er chor erbee, as dy mennick t'eh gennaghtyn dou dy vel mee jummal traa mannagh vel anaase ec peiagh erbee er ny ta mee jannoo er wheesh obbyr. Cre'n feeu?

Er çheu elley, ta mee ceau ny smoo traa rish roie myr saase lhee noi y lhag-chreeaght - croo endorphins as myr shen, as jus geddyn rey rish skeeys as creoiys juntagh lurg laa obbree. 'Syn aght cheddin, ta mee jannoo my chooid share dy cheau monney traa rish caardjyn dys sharaghey y gien t'orryms.

Myr shen, jus coontey beg dhyt - cha nel mee son faagail jeh'n Ghaelg as wheesh graih aym urree, agh she graih chiune t'ayn ec y traa t'ayn.

Monday, 2 September 2013

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 35

Jerrey wheiggoo hiaghtin jeih as feed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Y Syrcas Dyfed Edwards

Cha lhiah mee ish dy kiart, agh cur shilley bieau ny hrooid, erreish dou jannoo briwnys nagh by vie lhiam ish. She lioar scoagh t'ayn, as er lhiam dy vel eh jeant mie dy liooar son shen; agh jeh'n torçh dy scoagh ta sollagh as lane raghlid graney. Er lhiams dy row kiart aym, son ta snaie 'sy skeeal bentyn rish ard-lhottey as dunveryssyn agglagh. Share lhiam "scoagh" 'syn aght Lovecraft, lane reddyn quaagh agh nagh verrys orrym gennaghtyn skeeahoil. My ta mee shirrey skeealyn er olk deiney, ta shen ry-lhiah 'sy phabyr naght laa erbee, atreih.

Y Syrcas Dyfed Edwards

I didn't read this as such, but nosed through it fairly quickly after deciding it wasn't going to be my thing. It's a horror story, but my taste for 'horror' (insomuch as I have one) is distinctly along the Lovecraft lines, full of strange things that affect the narrator but won't make me personally feel queasy. Seems I made the right call; although there's some kind of alien monstrousness going on, there's also a notable strand about a mutilating murderer and people being helpless in each others' power, which I really can't be doing with. If I want to read about the evil men do in their lives etc., then sadly I have only to pick up a newspaper.